


Pack Mentality

by FlightInSnow



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Blood and Injury, Breeding, Dominance, Dubious Consent, Dubious Ethics, F/M, Furry, Knotting, M/M, Non-Sexual Submission, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Possessive Behavior, Submission, Suspense, Werewolf Culture, Werewolf Mates, Werewolves Turn Into Actual Wolves, Werewolves in Heat, Wolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:33:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 27,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26762164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlightInSnow/pseuds/FlightInSnow
Summary: In the years after his escape from his family’s pack, Tobi has learnt to survive on his own. The only problem is that in this day and age, a wolf without a pack is a walking target. With no alpha to protect him, Tobi spends his days looking over his shoulder until he runs into an old friend. It’s a far from happy reunion as Tobi releases just how much danger he’s in. This new pack invites him with open arms. Unfortunately, they don't care whether he's interested in staying or not.
Comments: 43
Kudos: 176





	1. Childhood Memories

Title: Pack Mentality  
Summary: In the years after his escape from his family’s pack, Tobi has learnt to survive on his own. The only problem is that in this day and age, a wolf without a pack is a walking target. With no alpha to protect him, Tobi spends his days looking over his shoulder until he runs into an old friend. It’s a far from happy reunion as Tobi releases just how much danger he’s in. This new pack invites him with open arms. Unfortunately, they don't care whether he's interested in staying or not. \--

Chapter One: 

Childhood Memories

\--

Tobi ate the last of his hotdog, licking the sauce from his fingers. He was sitting on a bench across from an oval where some young teens were kicking a soccer ball around. He watched them idly for a while as he thought of what to do next. He honestly didn't have much of a plan. He had been pretty lucky hitch hiking as far as he had. That one guy had even shouted him lunch last Monday. Tobi didn't have a destination in mind. 

He worked whatever jobs he could, wasn't silly with the money he saved and just took a ride whenever he could find one. He wasn't desperate to get anywhere in particular, so long as he wasn't too far from a forest or woodland. Dense cities were a bad place for a pack-less wolf.  
It helped that in the event that he couldn't find decent accommodation or food, he could shift and find something to eat in the forests. As a wolf he had no problem curling up and sleeping on a sun warmed rock or on top of dense ferns. He sometimes preferred this over staying in town because he often attracted to much of the wrong kind of attention. He didn't mean to. 

He wasn't a loud person. He would have liked to blend seamlessly into a crowd but he was just a bit to odd looking.  
Tobi had always been a little to scrawny and delicate looking. His face was all soft curves despite having just had his nineteenth birthday. Pale green eyes, naturally long lashes and oddly platinum blonde hair gave him a ridiculously feminine look. He had tried dying his hair in the past but the colour never stuck and always seemed to wash out after a week or two. He couldn't help the way he looked. In such hot weather he couldn't even rug up under layers of clothing to disguise his mop of messy hair or thin frame. 

He scrunched up his napkin and tossed in a nearby trashcan. Stretching, he felt his shirt ride up a bit, exposing his flat pale belly. He needed some new clothing. He had been putting it off but this shirt like so many of his others, was already too short in the length and arm. He wondered if there was a second-hand clothing shop in this town. He found some good stuff in there sometimes though the strong smells of mouth balls, bleach and washing detergent often forced him to leave early.  
As a wolf, his sense of smell and hearing were better than a regular human. He, like all werewolves, had learnt to filter out background noises as best he could. A wolf's eyesight was not as complex as a humans' and many wolves he had known in his old pack had been colour blind in the red spectrum to some degree even in human form. Tobi was lucky to have fully trichromatic vision except for when he became a full wolf. 

He had only arrived in this town the day before and was keen to do a bit of exploring. The forest, he knew, was very old and massive with a large portion of it set up as a nature reserve. He picked up his back pack and headed towards one of the footpaths, leaving the neatly groomed oval and carpark behind him, heading absently towards the street of little shops. 

He tried not hunch his shoulders and walk purposefully. His old pack had always told him that he looked weak, that he looked like a victim. In their opinion, if he looked and acted like a victim, then they should treat him as one. He shivered, his hand going automatically to scratch at a thin scar on his shoulder. 

He wasn't too worried about being recognised as a werewolf. He wasn't a mindless thing controlled by raw instinct. He wasn't bothered by blood or paralysed by the sound of screeching car breaks. In the vast human population, were-animals made up a rather pathetically small minority. Several times when he had been hitchhiking, he had carefully inspected local hot spots for traces of other weres but had only come across a single werelynx. The scent had been days old and he had not attempted to follow it.  
He was just thinking about getting a milkshake from one of the little cafes when the sight of flaming auburn hair caught his eye. He turned his head and saw, with a flash of recognition, a girl about his age step into one of the shops. He stood frozen. He had to be mistaken, a trick of the light maybe. For a whole second, he had thought he had seen his childhood friend, Holly. 

That couldn't be true though. The last he had seen of her was that late Autumn day. That moment in time had been seared in his brain, the rain pelting down and her terrified tear stained face as her father dragged her into the back of a taxi. He remembered trying to chase after the taxi, his paws slithering in mud as the vehicle got further and further away.

But that had been thousands of miles away and many years ago. Wolves didn't leave their packs. Holly was being taken to her new pack with her father, married in by pack law. Tobi hadn't been allowed to leave and she had not been allowed to come back. She couldn't be here. Still, his hear leaping in his throat he crossed the road, barely noticing the car that just missed him. He wrenched open the door to the shop, whose sign he hadn't even read. He stopped on the threshold, his legs shaking under him. 

There she was. 

Holly. 

Taller now, hair longer, older but definitely her. The woman at the counter jumped in alarm at Tobi's abrasive entry. Holly turned her head to see who had startled her and froze at the sight of him. Her mouth fell open, her green eyes filling with tears in seconds. She moved away from the counter and stepped towards him in that graceful timidly way he remembered so well.

"Tobi?" she choked. He nodded, his backpack thudding to the floor. She ran to him, on instinct it seemed, and flung her arms around him. Tobi, being small himself, was still the same height as her. He returned the rib cracking hug that she gave him. Her scent was so powerfully familiar, like daffodils and cheery wood. They just held each other for a long moment. Tears bit at the corners of his own pale blue eyes as he pulled back to get a look at her. Her expression of wonder and excitement swiftly turned to one of fear and worry as logic set back in.

"What are you doing here!?" she asked in a choked voice. 

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here!?" he spluttered, gripped her arms tightly.

"I..." her lip trembled. The woman behind the counter gave an awkward cough.

"Umm, can we get some coffees please? And a table?" he added. The woman was a little pink in the cheeks as she nodded. She indicated to the table furthest away in the back corner. He smiled at her gratefully. Taking his backpack in one hand and Holly in the other he almost ran to the table, desperate to find out what became of his only friend. 

"I ran away," she admitted in a tiny voice once they had settled. He held her hand. It was shaking in his. Holly had always been shy. He could only imagine how afraid she would have been and how much courage it would have taken. 

"It took years. I'm not proud of that," she whispered; her lashes thick with tears. He handed her a napkin. She took it and dabbed at her eyes.

"I was so scared they would track me that I didn't even take anything with me, just the clothes I was wearing and as much money I could collect from my own savings and the wallets the other left on the counter." She had to stop then, her voice cracking. They were quiet for a minute as the waitress brought them their coffee. Holly took a tremulous sip. 

"What about you though?" she said quickly. She suddenly looked around as though expected Nathan, their old alpha to pop up in the front window. 

"I left two years ago." Tobi said, wrapping his hands around the coffee cup to absorb its warmth. Her auburn eyebrows rose. 

"Who are you with then?" She asked sceptically. Tobi gave her a weak smile.

"No one," he replied. Holly nearly spilled her cup.

"You're alone!?" She rasped, looking panicked again. It wasn't in the nature of wolves to been in isolation. Occasionally, a much older wolf may separate his or herself. A young alpha may leave to start his or her own pack but for the most part, non-dominate wolves stuck together. It was safer and it was instinct. It was an instinct that Tobi had learned to bury. 

"You've been alone for two years?" she hissed out the statement as though it was something utterly sacrilegious. Admittedly, his situation was unique. He knew of wolves who had moved packs but only rarely had he heard whispers of a wolf staying out of pack all together.

"Yes." He said simply. To his great concern, her face lost even more colour, making her freckles stand out like puncture wounds. 

"You have to leave!" She whispered. She put down her cup rather hard, splashing its contents onto the tablecloth where it began to bleed out into the white fabric. Tobi began to feel the first tremors of panic himself now. His wolf could feel the anxiety and recognise the fear in Holly's scent and posture. Her being here, looking healthy but clearly afraid could only mean one thing. It seemed insane, the odds so unlikely and yet... 

"There's already a pack here," he said, his throat dry. She nodded, her red curls tumbling over her shoulders.

"But... but there were no boundry markings! I checked," he said desperately. She pulled a face that was somewhere between disgust and misery.

"They don't leave any on purpose. It's how they acquire fresh blood," she explained. Tobi stared at her, dumbfounded. A werewolf territory that wasn't marked or patrolled on the boarders? That was unheard of! 

"You have got to get out of here. They are the worst kind of werewolves Tobi. They're collectors. If they see you, they'll either take you or kill you," she said, already rising out of her seat. 

"You have to get on the next bus, leave the boarder before they know you are here or the black sentry will never let you pass."

"The what?" Tobi asked, startled. Holly rushed over to the counter to hand the woman some money for their drinks.

"Come on," she hissed, already heading for the door. Tobi grabbed up his back pack and followed her back out into the street on wobbly legs. She was practically running down the street, Tobi catching up in a few rapid strides.

"Holly, slow down," he panted. 

"I can't! We have to get you on the bus," she said desperately. 

"Come with me," he said. She actually stopped running and turned back to face him. 

"I can't," she croaked miserably.

"Why not? This isn't like last time. We aren't kids anymore! We're both older now. We can look after each other. We can go, just like we always said we would." She stared at him with desperate eyes and he could see the longing in them. 

"I can't. The bus drivers all know me. They know I'm pack. They won't let me on," she said in a small voice. Tobi's jaw dropped.

"What!? That's-"

"It's not their fault. They're scared," she said, cutting him off. He frowned. 

"What, you mean they're human and they know about the pack?" he spluttered, dumbfounded. She nodded sadly. 

"So do the local police and most of the shop owners. There is no help for us here Tobi. Andrei's word is law here, even to the humans," she breathed. 

"Andrei? He's alpha here?" She gave another nod.

"Yes. And Loana, his mate," she added and gave a little shiver. He just stood there. He felt like his head was swelling under the mass of information that had just been dumped on him. He looked at her. He couldn't leave her here. Not again. Not after last time. 

"The bus!" she gasped. An old blue and grey bus was trundling towards them from the end of the street. She grabbed hold of his arm to drag him over to the bus stop sign, its faded yellow letters half peeling on one side. 

"I can't leave you here," he said hollowly. 

"You have to. I can't leave but it's not too late for you." Her voice broke slightly on the last word and she wasn't looking at him. He pulled her arm from of her grip.

"Tobi!" she practically shouted, whirling around. 

"No," he said. 

"I'm not leaving you. Not again." The bus rumbled closer. Holly looked from it to Tobi, her face stricken.

"You don't know what it's like here. What they're like!" she said desperately. Closer. He could smell the exhaust fumes. It made him want to cough. 

"It can't be worse than from where I've come from," he said bitterly. She hesitated. She could see the resignation in his face. Her lips parted. The bus's engine growled closer. It was nearly level with them.

It went passed. 

"Let's go find somewhere to sit down. We can catch up properly," he said, his stomach churning sickeningly. The wind picked up, sweeping back his platinum curls as it pushed her red ones out in front of her. Her soft green patterned dress fluttered around her legs. 

"You'll change your mind," She muttered weakly. He shrugged.

"If I do, we'll go together." He could tell she didn't believe him. 

"So, when do I meet this alpha?" he said in a falsely bright voice. She just shook her head, her lovely face looking oddly ashen in the sunlight. 

"You won't have to wait long. He'll come to us. By now he will have already been told you are here," she said wearily. 

"How!?" he spluttered. 

"I told you. Most of the shop owners are loyal to the pack." They walked rather slowly down the street. Was it his imagination or were the few pedestrians on the street purposely avoiding their eye? 

It was so odd. This strange coagulation between the bright sunny day and the pretty little shops against the dark heavy mass of worry, fear and doubt he felt. His hands were trembling. He had struggled so hard to escape his old pack. It had taken him so long and now he could very well be right back where he started. Or worse.

No.

No, not worse. 

He had Holly, and she had him. They were together again and he wouldn't leave her again. A sleek silver car pulled up on the curb beside them. Tobi looked at it, puzzled. Holly sighed and opened the back door. 

"Get in," she said. The windows were tinted and Tobi couldn't see the driver but as the door opened, he could smell the scent of other wolves. The hair on the top of his arms stood up. Nervously, he did as he was told and she climbed in after him. The driver didn't turn around or speak to them.  
The car pulled smoothly away back into the traffic. Tobi looked over at Holly. She took his hand and squeezed it very tightly but didn't say anything. they drove for about fifteen minutes, leaving the little town centre and pulling onto a country road. It wasn't long after that the car turned left up a winding drive that turned to cobblestone.  
Tobi felt his mouth fall open. The wealth of a pack was generally pooled in one place. His old pack had lived in a mansion with the high-ranking wolves getting the best rooms whilst the lesser wolves got the smaller servant quarters.

Here, it was like its own little village with beautiful little cottages on either side of the road, each with a little flower garden or hedge. At the end of the drive was a massive one-story manor house that stretched out in front of them in a wave of white brick and polished timber.  
The car pulled to a stop in front of the massive front doors. Holly climbed out and Tobi followed on numb legs. the front doors opened and Holly went up the front step and into the entrance hall. With one final agonizing glance back at the road behind them, Tobi followed.

\--  
END

\--


	2. Meeting the Alphas

\--

Chapter Two

Meeting the Alphas

\--

The main foyer was a host of warm tones and cool stone flooring. Tobi might have been impressed if it wasn't for the woman that captured his attention the second he stepped inside. Beside him, Holly seemed as equally transfixed by the tall elegant woman who stood in a large doorway off to the left. Looking past her, he could see aspects of a grand sitting room with a large leather backed armchair.

He didn't need Holly to tell him who this woman was. This had to be Loana. She was undeniably beautiful with full curves and height. She had long black hair that curled gently at the ends. Her face was oval with eyes so dark blue they could almost be black. She was smiling but rather than comforting him, the sight of it set Tobi on edge. The smile was somehow creepy and almost porcelain. When she spoke, Tobi noticed that her human canines were pointed.

"Come sit down you two," she said, her voice honey sweet. Tobi followed Holly mutely. Holly walked around the woman as though she might bite. They stepped into the sitting room with its low ceilings and timber furniture. There were also several couches and three armchairs. The space was full but not in a cluttered or claustrophobia way. Following Holly's example, he placed his back pack against the wall and sat down on one of the couches next to her.

Loana slid the door closed and came to join them. She reclined herself in one of the high-backed armchairs, crossing one long leg over the other. She looked very much the queen of this place.

"Holly, who is this handsome young man you've brought us?" cooed the alpha, leaning her chin on a hand carrying one inch long manicured nails. Holly seemed to have lost her voice. She was staring down into her lap, her hands clenched.

"Come now Holly, surely you want to introduce your friend?" Her eyes were so intense. Tobi felt paralyzed just looking at them. They glittered like iridescent shells or the wings of some rare beetle.

"My name is Tobi," said Tobi, wanting to break the nasty tension that was building. It took a great effort, like talking through a mouthful of sawdust. He saw something flash in those cunning eyes and the alpha's smile broadened.

"Tobi? The Tobi?" she asked in a worryingly bright voice.

"I grew up with Holly," he said uncertainly. Holly's fingers were almost white with how hard she was clenching them together.

"Oh, but I know! Holly speaks so fondly of you! Oh, it's lovely to have you here at last!" Have you here. The phrasing sent a shiver down his spine. The way this woman was staring at him reminded him of an avid insect collector waiting to pin up her latest specimen.

"I'm just here to visit," he said, testing the waters. To his surprise, Loana laughed. His nerves spasmed under his skin at the sound, like a hare reacting to a gunshot.

"Of course! Surely, you'll stay a few days though? You two must have so much to catch up over!" Loana chirped delightedly. Tobi shot Holly a confused look. Before he could try and ask her anything, there was a polite knock. He looked over. A tall man neatly dressed and pale was standing in the doorway with a tray, face resignedly blank.

"George, you're so sweet. Set the tray here dear. Tea, Tobi? Do you take sugar?" Tobi had a funny feeling that George didn't really have much choice in bringing the tea. The man gave a low bow to his alpha and left without a word. He didn't even glance at the newcomer, his face stoic. Loana didn't wait for Tobi to reply before she was pouring him a cup so he just nodded mutely. She added a sugar lump. Tobi took it, trying to not let his hands shake.

"Is your alpha coming to collect you?" she added sweetly. She had waited to ask just as Tobi took a sip. Immediately he began to choke and cough on his hot tea.

"My, um?" He thought he saw Holly stiffen beside him and quickly added.

"Well yes, in a couple of days," he invented. Loana's black eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

"Well that is good. It can be dangerous, leaving a member of the pack alone in another's territory."

"He meant no disrespect, madam. It was a mistake on our part. We didn't notice any territory markings," he said with as much calm as he could voice. Her smiled widened yet more.

"And yet I wonder, if you didn't know there was a pack here, how did you know to find our young Holly to visit?" He flinched with pain as some of his hot tea spilled onto his hand.

"Urgh-"

"So, where are you staying?" she cut across. Tobi blinked, reeling. He hadn't had a chance to even consider accommodation.

"I hadn't really had time to look yet but-"

"Then you must stay! We have plenty of room and it would be much safer than a motel," she exclaimed.

"I couldn't do that; I don't want to intrude any further," Tobi chocked, trying to gain some sort of grasp on the situation. He felt like a rabbit watching his escape routes vanish as the hounds closed in.

"Not at all! I insist. Consider yourself a guest on pack land. I'll have a room set aside for you. It's always exciting to have a new face around." She stood with a flourish and left the room in a rapid set of silent strides.

Tobi sat there, breathless with shock.

"What. the Fuck!" he hissed. Holly shook her head.

"I warned you," she moaned quietly. He opened his mouth to speak but she slapped a hand across it.

"Not here. The walls have ears," she whispered.

"Finish your tea," she added flatly at a proper volume. Tobi sipped his tea without tasting it. When the cup was empty, he placed it back down on the tray. Holly stood and beckoned him over to the door. He followed. The huge manor was very impressive. It had clear input from several different cultures. Each grand room was styled differently but the colour, tone or material helped it blend with the room either side so the changes were never particularly jarring.

"This place is incredible," he admitted. She nodded.

"It's very old. I'm not entirely sure how old exactly but they have been adding rooms and remodelling for decades," she explained. Despite the grandeur of the building they walked through Tobi couldn't but find it a little eerie. Where were the other people? He could smell other wolves and there was evidence of other people.

A half-drunk coffee lay abandoned on a coffee table in one room. A woman's lavender cardigan was thrown over a banister they passed. He had this weird feeling that the people were just out of his field of view, as though they were being watched. He kept expecting to see someone around the corner, the next corner or maybe the next.

As they headed down a carpeted corridor, he swore he heard the sound of running footsteps but when he looked back over his shoulder, there was no one there. It was also disquieting at just how little noise he could hear of the outside world. He was used to his hearing picking up everything being much more sensitive than a mundane human but from the inside of this manor, he couldn't make out anything. Not a bird call or a crunch of gravel.

Nothing.

"This way," Holly muttered as she turned them down yet another corridor and finally out onto a little patio. Tobi greeted the outside world with a deep breath of relief. The back garden (if it could really be called such) was a massive spiralling design of flowering plants and large old trees. A neatly trimmed lawn spread out for hundreds of meters before a hedge marked the edge of a large forest. It had to be the same nature reserve Tobi had been considering visiting. He knew stretched right down one side of the town. Holly didn't speak again until they had walked right away from the mansion.

"Do you live in there?" he asked, nodding back to the massive building. She nodded unhappily.

"Yes. Many of the older, more trusted wolves have been given their own smaller cottages but the alphas like to keep the younger and newer wolves close to them. My room is in the west end. I expect yours will be to. The rooms aren't bad. They're pretty much the only sanctuary we have. No one is allowed in each other's rooms except the alphas," she said.

"Well that's... something." Tobi said, thinking back to his old pathetic sleeping quarters with his old pack. There had always been a gnawing dread, knowing that one of the older wolves might try and barge in at any time. He shivered, trying to chase the old memories back into his subconscious.

"How long have you been with this pack?" he asked. Holly looked up at the afternoon sun, its light making her red hair practically glow.

"Three years. It's a little crazy to think it's been that long," she murmured. They stopped by a cluster of neatly pruned roses. She plucked one of the strong-smelling orange blooms.

"I wasn't very good at living on my own. I tried, I really did but I found it very hard to fit in with humans. I never quite realised that humans could be just as cruel and evil as wolves until I had to shift to defend myself. I guess I was just naive for thinking people would want to help a stranger." She starting plucking the soft petals from the rose. They drifted slowly to the ground like colourful tears.

"Loana found me wandering beside the road. I wasn't good enough at travelling through the forest as a wolf. I had already been shot at by a hunter once. At the time I was grateful when she picked me up. I thought... Well. like I said. I was naive," she said, scattering the last of the petals. They watched them tumble soundlessly across the grass. Tobi wanted to ask what had happened since but her jaw was so tight that he didn't think now was the time.

"I'm sorry," he murmured for nothing better to say. She shook her head.

"There's nothing to be sorry for," then,

"I am sad that your here, but I'm glad for the company. I had wondered what had become of you. I knew you would get away. You were always braver than me." They strolled over to a large elm and sat beneath it. Neither of them spoke again for a long time, just enjoying the evening sun and watching the wind move about the massive garden. Her shoulder pressed against his for comfort.

"I need to tell you the rules," she sighed after a while. Tobi frowned.

"House rules?" he guessed. She gave a short nod.

"Yes. Loana and Anton are very strict. They don't allow anyone to break the rules. First off, everyone over the age of sixteen eats together in the main house. If you're sick, you have to inform one of the alphas or the pack medic. New members always stay in the main manor. You won't be allowed to leave the property or apply for a job without prior permission from one of the alphas. Members of the pack are not allowed to horde funds. Everything goes into a joint account and is handled by the pack's own financial officer. Overseen by the alphas, of course."

"Of course," Tobi said dully. It was not overly different from his old pack. The wolves instinctually needed to stay close. Their instincts pushed them to be subservient to the alphas but this meant that alphas often ran the packs like a dictatorship. Or a cult.

"And it goes without saying, don't challenge the alphas," Holly finished.

"Be honest with me. How violent are they?" Tobi said quietly. Even as he said it, he felt her tense.

"They aren't... violent exactly. They are very creative though. Just don't do it, okay?" she said as she got to her feet. She held out a hand and he took, standing up and following her.

The property was very impressive with many hidden nooks and paths that led to ponds or secluded stone benches. There were also several massive greenhouses. He stared at the glass structure with some awe.

"The pack is fairly self-sustaining. Sometimes the alphas have recruited new members based solely on the profession the wolf had. We have our own lawyers, our own gardeners, cooks, all wolf, all pack, all living here," she said.

"That's... impressive," Tobi admitted. Holly shrugged.

"Like I said. They are thorough," she explained. The sun had been slowly drifting across the sky as they had walked. Holly seemed reluctant to return back to the manor. Tobi didn't blame her. He was getting hungry though having only eaten once that day.

"They're not all bad," she said thoughtfully, as though only just realizing herself.

"Emily is the librarian. She's really nice. She let me hide in there a few times. Darsh is one of the gardeners. He's also not too bad. He mainly looks after all the greenhouses. Someone else does the flower beds and ponds." Finally, she turned in the direction of the huge house. They were about halfway across the lawn when Tobi felt it.

A harsh electric tingle shot right up his spine, making him stagger. Holly's head whipped around; her eyes widening in alarm. The presence was like nothing Tobi had ever experienced, not even when Nathan had slaughtered the previous pack leader in cold blood and let out his first blood curdling howls as the new leader. This was so much more, like being plunged into ice water unprepared. It drove the air from his lungs and crippled his senses. He turned his head with incredible difficulty, the muscles in his shoulders and back twitching.

There was a man walking towards them.

Even at a distance, Tobi knew with the very core of his soul that this man was the other alpha. He was taller, like Loana, with similarly midnight black hair. He had a strong jaw and wicked smile that curved to one side more than the other. Tobi would never have been able to guess the age of the figure coming towards them. He could have been twenty-five, forty or three hundred. As the full weight of the alpha's aura crashed over him, storm like and complete, Tobi's knees buckled and he collapsed to the damp grass.

"Tobi." The man's voice was like honeyed death. It rolled over him and made him shiver, his muscles twitching under his skin. He had never experienced an alpha prescience like this before in his life. He wanted to roll over, to show his belly and his throat. His spine arched in reaction.

"I'm sorry to approach you like this, but my love told me about you and I just couldn't wait to meet you." The man crouched beside him and reached out a hand to brush back a lock of Tobi's platinum silver hair. At close range, the man's scent was overpowering. It filled his mouth and his synesis. Tobi squirmed, his body heating under the intense smell of power and musk. A small thin whimper escaped his lips.

"You are just as she described." He purred. Tobi could only lie there and gasp, like a banked fish waiting for the bear to severe his skull from his spine.

"Holly, you've done so beautifully. You are always such a good girl." He went on. There was a second thump, letting Tobi know that Holly too, had collapsed. Tobi tried to breathe through his mouth but the smell and taste coated the roof of his mouth. He wanted to rub up against the man to ease some of the intense itching that had begun under his skin. The need horrified him as much as it choked him.

"It's so exciting to have you here." The phrasing was almost exactly as Loana had said. Tobi strained to look up. The man's eyes were a shifting electric blue. They bore into his with such intensity, Tobi couldn't hold his gaze , his animal brain shrinking away.

"Darling, get them up. Dinner will be ready soon." Loana's ringing laughter came from somewhere over head. Anton smiled and as quickly as it came, that devastating energy vanished. Tobi lay there, completely winded and panting. A large hand cupped his chin and turned his face up to the alpha's.

"I look forward to getting to know you Tobi." Anton purred. The man let him go and stood, walking back into the warmth of the manor. A hulking figure Tobi couldn't yet process stepped up beside him and he was roughly pulled to his feet. Stumbling, still utterly uncoordinated, he was marched into the house after the retreating backs of the two alphas.

\--

END

\--


	3. Sleeping Arrangements

\--

Chapter Three

Sleeping Arrangements

\--

Tobi felt utterly dazed as he was half carried, half dragged into the blinding lights of the manor hallway. He shook his head, trying to clear it of the last of the static. He managed to get his feet under him and stumbled along with the man named George who still had a firm grip on his upper arm. There was a heavy scent of cooking food, rich and powerful. Despite Tobi' current situation, his stomach growled in response to the delicious smell.

He was taken back through a drawing room and through two more corridors, the last opening out into a massive dining room. George let go of him so abruptly, he nearly fell. His hand reached found the side of the archway. He used it to prop himself as he gathered his bearings. The dining room, or rather, dining hall was an incredibly long room with a high ceiling displaying intricately decorative cornicing.

The floor was a plush deep red carpet. There were windows on either side of the room though they were currently closed off by thick curtains. In pride of place was a long timber table currently covered with dishes, glasses and cutlery.

Several flowers cut straight from the garden had been laid in the centre along with napkins and water jugs. Tobi was struggling to count all the chairs. The huge table seemed to seat at least thirty or forty people. Several people were already seated at the table but no one looked up at him. Most stared resolutely down at their empty plates without saying a word.

"Come, why don't you sit with us?" Tobi shivered at the sound of that melodic voice as Anton came up behind him. He couldn't find his voice as a strong hand took him gently by the back of the neck and pressed him forward into the room. His was brought to a comfortable looking tall backed chair. He practically fell into it as it was pulled out for him. A woman with tight braids and deep sorrowful brown eyes looked up at him before quickly flicking her gaze elsewhere along the table. He swallowed nervously. To his great trepidation, Anton sat next to him.

Holly was guided down the other end by Loana. She gave him a worried look but didn't get a chance to say anything as they passed. Three wolves, two woman and a man were bringing dishes in and laying them out. Fresh baked bread rolls and heaped spaghetti with tureens of fat meatballs were placed up and down the table. His mouth watered. When the last dish was placed down, they too found seats.

"Friends, I hope we have all had productive days. We are thankful for the food we have been prepared for us tonight as always. We have a new guest with us tonight. Say hello Tobi," Anton said, his voice carrying like a storm wind. Tobi waved meekly. He wasn't sure if he relieved by the lack of hostility or not. There was no anger or jealousy in the eyes of the wolves around him, some even looked bored but it was the looks of worry, pity and fear that he saw flicker across the expressions of a fair few people that made him very nervous.

"Let's enjoy," Loana called happily and everyone picked up their cutlery and began to serve themselves. It was very orderly. There was no pushing or shoving. Tobi was hard picked to guess the ranks of the wolves around him. People served each other and themselves without complaint. It was a stark difference to the squalling rabble that often broke out with his old pack. The rules here were obviously very well practiced.

"Do you like Italian food Tobi?" Anton asked him, those piercing blue eyes burning into him. He didn't wait for him to respond, just as Loana had done. The man took Tobi's empty plate and began to pile it with spaghetti, meatball and the rich red sauce.

"Yes. I love Italian food," he found himself admitting, still feeling a little shell shocked. He hadn't meant to say it, the words just sort of blurted out.

"We do to. Big fans," Anton purred, placing his plate back down. Tobi picked up his utensils. They shook slightly in his hands and it took a while to properly get the spaghetti onto his fork. To his immense relief, a quiet babble of talk started up and the clacking of cutlery helped break up the bizarre silence. He took a bite of his food and nearly groaned.

"Good, isn't it?" Anton said, apparently transfixed by Tobi. Tobi suddenly found it very difficult to get his mouthful of food down. He hurriedly took a sip of water.

"It is," he said woodenly.

"Maria, Jarred and Issy are all well-trained chefs." The alpha said languidly. The man finally turned to his own food and started to eat. As Tobi ate slowly, he got a good look around the room. The diversity of people in the room was rather staggering. There was a nearly even split of men and woman and each had their own look to them. There was no particular race or colour that dominated the others. Some people had the kind of beauty that belonged on a billboard or modelling the latest fashion. Other people were so utterly mundane that Tobi never would have looked twice at them in line for his morning coffee.

He had never seen such diversity in a pack before. Nathan had been so stringent in what he wanted. He wanted his soldiers big and his females dark and curvy. Tobi was neither of those things. He was scrawny, pale and small. He was fodder to train the other hunters, something for them to chase, something to catch...

One of the old scars on his calf twinged at the memory of long fangs and squealing excited howls. His stomach turned over and he went for his water glass again, forcing down a few more painful mouthfuls of water. He looked down the table again. Holly was difficult to make out, George's hulking form blocking her from Tobi's view.

"Staying long Tobi?" asked a shrewd voice. Tobi looked across the table. The speaker was lean man in his late twenties with straw coloured hair. His face was relaxed but his eyes were unkind, dark and beady looking. A few people glanced their way. Sweat collected between Tobi's shoulder blades as he felt the alpha's keen gaze on him. Why were they playing this game with him? They all seemed to know he wasn't leaving, that there was no alpha coming to get him.

"A few days," he forced out, meeting the man's eyes steadily with his own. He wasn't going to be that little rabbit. Not anymore. At least, that's what he told himself. He wasn't brave enough to look back at the alpha though. He cursed himself for that weakness. He carried on eating, no longer able to admire the taste and just choking it down so he could get this insane dinner out of the way.

"What do you do friend?" The man was apparently persistent. An annoying quality considering the current situation.

"Do?" Tobi ground out.

"I'm a carpenter and builder by trade," the man said proudly. Tobi fought down the urge to retort with a 'good for you' and said instead;

"I worked primarily as a hairdresser." The man smiled. It thinned out his lips and brough his high cheek bones into prominence. Tobi thought it made the other male look a bit like a snake.

"Oh," snake man said smugly.

"We already have one of those." He stated this with apparent satisfaction. Keeping his expression calm, Tobi gave a little nod.

"Well yes. This is a decent sized town. It would be rather ridiculous if you didn't have a hairdresser in residence." A woman to the right of the straw haired man gave a snort into her plate of pasta. He thought he had scored a point on the asshole when a smooth laugh nearly made him drop his fork.

"Now boys, I think we can agree that there is always room for improvement," Anton purred and the sound of his voice made Tobi want to swallow his tongue. The other man huddled down in his chair. He tried to keep his relaxed face but Tobi could see a twitch start in the man's eyelid.

Tobi went back to eating.

He became uncomfortably aware as the night dragged on, that finishing his plate wouldn't be enough allow him to leave. As people had finished eating, they sat back into their chairs and spoke quietly with their neighbours. There were no phones, books or tablets out and no one left the table, not even for a few minutes to use the restroom. It was very clear that they all seemed to be waiting for some sort of signal.

No one else had attempted to engage Tobi in conversation and he sat uncomfortably, tearing one of the napkins to shreds in his lap. Every now and again the man masquerading as a king would turn sharply and his scent would carry to Tobi's nose.

It seemed to sink underneath his skin and behind his eyes. Tobi wanted to bite and be bitten, to taste the coppery blood in his mouth. His canines lengthened of their own accord and he had to fight to stay still and not catch the man's eye. He was sure he failed on several occasions

Finally, finally, Anton stood up.

"Thank you for joining us tonight. Sleep well my friends," he purred. Loana stood from her place and came around the head of the massive table to stand by her mate. Tobi sat and waited as the room began to clear. Wolves dipped their chins or offered their throat to the alphas before excusing themselves and retreating through different doorways. Tobi finally caught sight of Holly but before he could make a move towards her a hand clamped down on his shoulder.

"Come, why don't we have George show you where you will be sleeping?" Loana purred. She motioned with an elegant hand and the hulking figure of the tall man came towards them. Tobi swallowed hard and made to go but she caught him by the arm and turned him back around.

She reached for him, placing her hips on his hips and tugging him gently forward. Her thumbs slid under his shirt and ran a scorching touch along his skin. He sucked in a sharp breath. Her scent made his head spin. She placed her soft lips against the shell of his ear and said;

"It really is wonderful to have you here. I know you'll fit right in." He wanted the bury his nose in her neck and breathe more of her in. By the gods, none of this was fair. He had only just managed to scrape his freedom. He had fought so hard for it and he felt as though he was losing it here and now in the presence of these two people.

What pissed him off and frightened him most was that a part of him wanted to so badly. He took hold of her wrists and gently extracted her hands from under his shirt. He knew she had let him and there was an amused twinkle in her eyes as he stepped back. Whereas Anton’s were a piercing pale electric blue, her eyes were a deep dark blue and glinting, like staring down into the deepest abyss the ocean had to offer.

"Good night alphas," he said in a tight voice. He had worked to damn hard. He wasn't just going to fold for these people, even if every muscle in his body want to. George had stood, ever the silent menacing presence and led the way from the dining hall when Tobi fell into step behind him. He followed the man through an endless twisting and turning rabbit warren of tight corridors and old rooms, the age of the building seeming to bleed through the further into the manor they went.

There were less windows down this end of the massive complex. The timber floor was dark but weathered in the centre from decades if not centuries of taking the tred of those who lived here. There was a lingering scent of wood polish, dust and wolf in every space.

Again, Tobi fought down the urge to walk backwards or constantly look over his shoulder. He could hear nothing distinct but it was as though the walls were whispering. George marched on without a word or glance. Tobi wasn't sure the man would stop if Tobi didn't follow. Maybe he would but he wasn't about to test the behemoth. Finally, they edged up a narrow stone staircase with a questionable banister and into a carpeted hallway. Doors lined the walls on both sides and there was a sudden great sense of hush, as though he was walking through a library... or a morgue.

He's feet were practically soundless on the thick cream carpet. George stopped at the fourth door on the left. His mammoth hand wrapped around the doorknob and turned it. The door swung open. He nodded to it.

"Uhm, thank you," said Tobi awkwardly. George made a noise that could have been a grunt. He stood, statue still. Taking the rather unsubtle hint, Tobi went inside, feeling much more like he was dealing with a prison guard then a butler. The polished wood door closed behind him and he was not thrilled to hear a click and scrape of a lock. His eyes went straight to his back pack which had been leant against the wall.

In everything that had happened, he had completely forgotten that he had left it in the sitting room. He rummaged through it, his stomach twisted as he realised everything inside had been neatly folded and repacked. Someone had obviously checked his bag. It was insanely invasive but not surprising. Experience told him that trust between wolves was hard earnt. A stranger entering pack land could be carrying anything.

He straightened up and looked around. He gave a low whistle. He had to admit, the room was beautiful. It reminded him of an old fashion bed and breakfast with its soft patterned pale orange and white wall paper, tall wooden bed complete with oddly frilly pillows, hanging light fixtures and heavy curtains. There was also a small neat looking writing desk in the corner, a tall dresser and two bedside tables. Someone had even put a vase with a few sunflowers on the writing desk. How thoughtful.

He could see a door to the left and padded over to it. Cool white and black square tiles met his feet as he appeared on the threshold of a rustic looking bathroom.

Well.

If nothing else, his prison was wonderfully furnished. Tobi sighed and decided to get some sleep and work out what to do next tomorrow.

After turning off the lights, he stripped down to his boxers and climbed under the covers. For all their frilliness, the pillows were quite comfortable. He stretched out under the heavy covers and lay there for a while, staring up at the dark ceiling. He rolled over, trying to ignore how horribly quiet the room was. No wind, no rustling, no sound of footsteps or distant crickets.

The place was as quiet as the grave.

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END

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	4. Out and About

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Chapter Four

Out and About

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Tobi woke the next morning feeling well rested and oddly uncomfortable. It took him awhile to remember why he felt so out of place and worried. When his brain caught up with the waking world, he remembered why. Tobi sat up, looking around his to clean and oddly old-fashioned room. It was early morning, the light creeping through a crack in the curtains. He stretched and climbed out of the bed.

It was still eerily quiet. He padded to the window and pulled back the thick curtain, morning sunlight temporarily blinding him. He blinked painfully for a few seconds. Squinting, he stared out at the view. His room had a wonderful view of the thick rose garden outside. He could see over flowing beds or flowers and large welcoming trees. It all looked inviting. Tobi fiddled with the latch, hoping to let in some fresh air and some normal ambient sounds of the outside world.

The problem was, the window wouldn’t open. He looked down at the latch, eyebrows furrowed. He couldn’t work out how it opened. Had they seriously locked him inside his room like a badly behaved toddler?

Frustrated, he turned away from the window and marched into the bathroom. It was at least nice to have a large functioning shower head. He stood under the spray, letting the hot water ease some of the tension in his shoulders. Distantly, he wondered how much money a place like this would cost to run or maintain. Then again, it wasn’t one family that was paying for it. It was everyone and all the servants were mostly likely pack.

As he watched the water swirl down the drain, he wondered just how much trouble he was in and if he could convince Holly to leave. He also wondered if she had already tried. That would be his first question for her when they were alone again.

He needed to know how and what other pack members had done to escape, how they were punished if they didn’t make it and more importantly, if anyone had succeeded…

When Tobi left the bathroom, he wrapped a towel around his waist. His backpack was waiting for him. He though very briefly about unpacking some essentials from it but decided against it. He was not living here full time. There was no point in unpacking. He dug out some clean clothes. They were old and well worn, the fabric of the jeans soft in places where it had worn thin. With baited breath he tested the handle to his bedroom.

To his surprise and relief, it opened.

Tobi stepped out into the corridor with nervous apprehensive steps. He nearly jumped out of his skin when a voice spoke from behind him down the carpeted corridor.

“Good morning.” Tobi swung around. The female wolf was young, maybe just gracing fifteen. Even Tobi could admire how pretty she was with her smattering of freckles and large blue eyes. She had small, bird like features with cute pixie cut brown hair to match. Small in frame but friendly in posture, she smiled at him.

“Ah, good morning. Sorry, I don’t think we have met?” Tobi said weakly, willing his thundering heartbeat to ease a little.

“I’m Eliana. My mother is one of the chefs,” she explained politely. She seemed genuine so Tobi held out she hand. She shook it with a small laugh.

“I’m Tobi,” he said. She laughed again.

“I know. Mum told me about you last night. Is it true you came from the other side of the country? How did you get permission from your alpha to come?” she asked with genuine curiosity. Tobi winced.

“Urgh…”

“Alpha Loana is very strict with us leaving the estate. We even have to get special permission for school trips,” Eliana said with a pout. She didn’t seem down hearted for long though because when she looked back up at him, she burst out

“Your hair is so pretty! Do you get it coloured professionally?” Rather taken aback by this bright energy and enthusiasm, Tobi stuttered for a bit.

“I urhm, no. I was born with it this colour,” he admitted awkwardly.

“Tobi.” It was a relief to hear Holly’s voice.

“Morning Holly!” the young teen piped.

“Good morning, Eliana. No school today?”

“No, there’s a school carnival on today. I’m not going,” Eliana said glumly.

“Have you had breakfast?” Holly asked gently. The young wolf nodded.

“Yeah. I’m heading to the library to study. It was nice meeting you!” she said, waving at Tobi. Tobi smiled weakly. She turned and danced away.

“Well she seems… well adjusted,” Tobi murmured. Holly sighed.

“She grew up in this pack so this life is normal for her,” Holly murmured as she guided Tobi down the corridor towards a familiar flight of stairs.

“And she doesn’t find life here… restricting?” he asked softly. He kept looking left and right as though someone might jump up from behind one of the numerous tapestries or long curtains.

“No. Those born and raised in the pack are fairly spoilt. They learn quickly that compliance gets them anything they want provided the alphas agree. Most of the born pack are very loyal and content here,” Holly said and there was a strong hint of bitterness to her voice. He wondered if there was a story there. Tobi winced.

“I suppose if they don’t know any other life…” he trailed off. Then again, perhaps it wasn’t fair to expect them to. He wondered how his life would have been if he had grown up in a proper balanced pack, if he had friends his own age, his own room, his own laptop or property. To have loving parents that served the pack and two powerful protective alphas. Holly’s voice broke through his musings.

“Breakfast is normally more relaxed. People have jobs or school to go to so wolves come in and out all morning. The breakfast things are left out on the dining table until ten so if you come out of your room later then that, you won’t be able to eat until lunch time at noon,” she explained as they passed a rather ugly bust of an elderly woman.

As they weaved up and down passages and descended another flight of stairs, Tobi could finally hear the distant babbling of voices. He was surprised by the flood of relief he felt at the sounds. Chinking cutlery, scraping chairs, the sound of coffee cups and glasses tapping the table top, all mundane and normal. The smells caught him soon after. Toast, sausages, eggs, bacon, coffee, fruit spreads, all enough to make his stomach rumble.

He hesitated in the massive doorway. The atmosphere was more relaxed then the night before. There were only about twenty wolves mulling around, eating, talking, reading books or scrolling through phones. Many did not look up as he and Holly entered. He saw surprise on a few faces, concern on others and several others who immediately snapped their heads back down to their own plates.

The long dining table was neatly laid out like a five-star hotel. There were several stations at different intervals. There was a station for cereals, another for hot food and still more for juices, coffee and tea. Tobi glanced at Holly for instructions.

“It’s okay, come on,” Holly said gently. Tobi followed her to a stack of plates. They were warm to the touch.

Not entirely able to help himself, Tobi went for a little of everything except for the cereal. There was even a plate of thinly slice honeyed ham. He paused, tongs in hand. This was insane, wasn’t eat? Did they eat like this every day? When he glanced around, everyone looked… relatively comfortable. Maybe not with him being there, but certainly with the food.

He sat down with his plate and stuffed a fork full of scrambled eggs into his mouth. They were really, really good. Buttery, lightly seasoned and fluffy. As someone who had been eating cold cheap cereal, petrol station sandwiches or sometimes skipping breakfast all together, it was heaven.

He ate with veracious appetite. Holly spared him several glances, her expression somewhere between amusement at his enthusiasm and concern that he might choke. After clearing his plate and a large glass of orange juice, he finally slowed, much to Holly’s amusement.

“Feel better?” she asked, lips twitching. Her humour died almost a second later before he could reply. Her gaze flicked up to somewhere behind Tobi. He didn’t need to ask why. He felt the presence of the alpha, his skin prickling.

“Good morning Tobi, Holly. Did you both sleep well?” Anton’s voice, deep and smooth rolled Tobi and stole his breathe. He knocked his empty glass over in haste to stand from his chair. Holly dropped her gaze submissively.

“Yes alpha,” she muttered. Tobi turned to face the man and found himself thrown under by sparkling blue eyes.

“And you Tobi?” he purred.

“F..fine,” he stammered out.

“You still look so tired.” A large hand reached out and took Tobi’s chin, tilting his face up. Tobi’s breath caught in his chest, paralyzed in place as the grip teased his throat.

“Any plans for today?” the alpha purred.

His throat had always been incredibly sensitive. It was how they scented each other, marked each other and to Tobi, the touch of Anton’s hand, even grazing his skin, was making his knees weak. To show an alpha one’s throat wasn’t just a sign of submission, it was an invitation. Tobi took a rapid step backward.

Anton let him go, the slightest hint of a twist to those wicked lips. The man hadn’t shaved this morning and there was a light covering of scruff to his jawline and chin. It unfortunately only made him look all the more rugged. Fighting hard against his instincts to show the alpha his jugular, Tobi cleared his throat.

“I was hoping Holly would be free to show me around the town today sir. I have never been here before,” he said, his voice even but polite. The wolves around him were doing their best to feign deafness.

“That’s a wonderful idea. Would you like a lift into the town?” Tobi opened his mouth to say no but Holly cut across him.

“Yes please. Thank you for the offer alpha,” she said. Her expression was… oddly mask like. This was some part of a larger game he wasn’t seeing. Tobi was stuck on the board and he had no idea how to play.

“Well then, I’ll have the driver ready out the front for you both,” Anton mused. Tobi gave a nod. He tried to smile but when those blue eyes turned on him, he felt his muscles tense all over. As soon as Anton was moving over to the coffee station, Holly grabbed Tobi’s hand hard and stated dragging him from the room. Tobi didn’t complain.

“Do we really need a driver?” Tobi asked as they made their way outdoors.

“Its not about needing a driver. It’s about them feeling in control and knowing where we are. Trust me, for little things like that, its easier to just agree. For every inch you try to take, they will push to take it back. True, he may have let us walk but someone would have been sent after us to keep watch and the security around us will increase,” Holly explained. She sat down on a nearby stone wall, apparently waiting for their driver for the morning.

“Did you sleep okay?” she asked, her tone far more concerned then Anton’s had been. Tobi winced.

“I’m not used to everything being so… silent. It’s creepy to be so cut off from the world,” he admitted. She gave a nod, her red hair whipping forward from the wind.

“That is the gist of it, yes. I think they don’t want us to lock ourselves up in our room to much either. They restrict how many books and electronics we have in our rooms,” she muttered. Tobi blinked.

“I’m sorry, what? But… we are adults. So, like, you can’t have more than four books in your bedroom?” he spluttered indignantly.

“Two, actually.” He stared at her hard, trying to see if she was just messing with him. Unfortunately, her face didn’t change.

“The manor has a massive library and study areas. We have a gym, here on the state and one in town that we use. We are expected to be out, bonding with our pack,” she sighed. Tobi bit his lip. For some humans, being forced together like this would be a nightmare. For wolves, it was a little different. Wolves biologically needed a pack, needed the togetherness and community to feel balanced and healthy. Despite this, he had never really heard of a pair of alpha enforcing bonding time like this.

Packs normally bonded on the full moon but did whatever for the day to day. This was so bizarrely foreign that Tobi wasn’t even sure what to think. He had gotten used to traveling on his own. He had even learnt to burry the torn aching part of himself deep down that wanted to bound. Perhaps it had been easier for him because he had never properly bonded with his old pack as a pup either. He had always been runtish and odd looking.

He didn’t think like the soldiers in his old pack. The drive to dominate, fight and fuck just didn’t pound in his blood the way it did with the other male wolves of his age. Nathan had cruelly suggested that his balls were wasted and he would be more comfortable without them. Tobi’s own parents hadn’t even really cared for him. His mother had been slow, doe-eyed and skittish. His father was just was brutish as the rest of the soldiers, gruff and distant right up until his throat was torn out during a territory scuffle when Tobi was fourteen.

“Here’s our ride,” Holly said, dragging Tobi back to the present.

A black car was pulling up the drive and came to a stop. Tobi followed Holly over to it and climbed in the back seat.

“So where are we going?” he asked. Not that it mattered. They were going away from the creepy estate and that was fine for now.

“Well, the town really only has major shopping street. It’s a bit touristy but there are some good places there. We can start at one end and just wander?” Holly suggested as the car rolled on away from the gigantic house. Tobi nodded.

“Sure.”

It was almost a relief to be back amongst humans and cars again. The smell of fat frying, car exhaust, coffee and body odour in the warm sun was an assault on his sensitive nose but for now he was grateful for the change. The driver, Decan, did not say a single word to either of them and drove away as soon as they both exited the car. He had left just outside the coffee shop where Tobi had first run into his old friend.

“Well that was… awkward,” Tobi grumbled. Holly gave him a withering smile.

“You’ll get used to it,” she said. Tobi shook his head and stopped walking.

“No, I won’t and neither do you. We aren’t staying here Holly. Not if you don’t want to,” he said in a firm voice. Holly’s shoulder slumped.

“Tobi, wolves have tried. We can’t leave, not unless they let us go and they will never let us go,” she whispered. He reached out a hand to her shoulder, turning her to face him.

“Tried how? How many? How often? Holly, no alpha is unbeatable. We just have to be smart,” he insisted. She shook her head.

“You don’t know them.”

“Then tell me about them!” he hissed. She bit her lip, considering. Finally, she set off down the street, apparently needing the movement.

“They aren’t like normal werewolves. Lorena and Anton are from old blood, ancient blood really. They’re wolf forms are gigantic and their mental control over us as wolves is… total. They feel us, know where we are.” Tobi shook his head.

“That’s just a myth Holly. Wolves like that died out with the old world. Are sure you’re not just mistaking the pack bond for-”

“You think I didn’t say the same thing?” she snapped angrily, eyes flashing. Tobi recoiled.

“It’s a double-edged sword. The only real way to escape, to navigate the traps they set up is be a wolf but in wolf form, they own you. So many tried and ended up just… coming back. You could see it, they didn’t want to, but once they transformed, they just walked themselves home. One pup burst a blood vessel in his lungs he fought the compulsion so hard. They all came back Tobi, even as they wet themselves in terror, they walked back.” Holly’s voice was barely audible by the times she was finished.

“And that’s if they can get passed the sentry. He’s old, almost as old as Anton, I think. He’s been with the pack for decades and he guards the boarders. He won’t kill you if you try to pass him but he will bring you back broken if you try.” Tobu’s throat had become very dry.

“The roads in and out are all patrolled by human police and they are all in the alpha’s pockets. They will try to arrest you if you leave in a car. No bus or taxi will take once they know your pack,” Holly said, head down and walking hard. Tobi was almost panting to keep up. His head was buzzing.

“But there’s still a chance for you. A small one.” Holly swung around to face him. Tobi halted so fast he nearly fell down onto the seat of his pants. She dragged him down a small side street. It was empty of people so early in the morning.

“You haven’t received the alpha’s bite yet! You aren’t formally pack so they don’t own you yet. You aren’t bonded. You just need to face the sentry. If you get passed him, you might escape but it has to be soon! They want you, Tobi. It’s obvious to everyone. They will try to keep you,” her voice was desperate and her fear scented the air so strongly it made his eyes water and his mouth fill with saliva.

“I can’t leave you with them,” he choked. Holly’s hands shook as she took his.

“I… I know you are afraid for me but I’ve… I have a life here. I have a job; a home and I’m not bullied like I was with our old pack. I am theirs but they… I am safe here. I don’t have to worry about submitting myself to any male that thinks I should be his to mount, I don’t have to fight for food.” She swallowed audibly. Tobi shook his head.

“But you aren’t free either,” he rasped. She gave a short bark of humourless laughter.

“We were never free to begin with Tobi. Maybe in other countries it’s different. Maybe elsewhere, packs are more contemporary, more loving but that isn’t a realty we’ve found ourselves in,” she said harshly and Tobi flinched. She squeezed his hands very hard.

“If anyone could get out of here, you can. You’re stronger than me. You’ve been out. You’ve survived on your own and you have better instincts. I know you can make it.” Her expression was determined even as tears welled in her eyes. They ran down her cheeks, highlighting her freckles and marring her face. Tobi gripped her back just as hard, his throat tight and his knuckles white.

“When?” he whispered.

“Tonight, we can’t wait,” she said, finality in her voice and stance. He nodded and hugged her tight.

“I’ve missed you so fucking much.” His voice cracked. Her ringlets of hair filled his vision and breathed her scent in deeply, trying desperately to hold onto it.

“Find a pack that will love you rather then hold you, or don’t. Be what I could never be Tobi. Free.” Her sobs were muffled by his shirt. They stayed, clinging to each other, broken open and raw to the world. They clutched at each other for a long time. When they finally drew apart, they were both puffy eyed and trembling.

“Tonight,” he agreed weakly.

“Tonight.”

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END

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	5. Night Time Wanderings

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Chapter Five

Night Time Wanderings

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The town was quiet and lovely. In any other circumstance, Tobi would have liked to explore it. As it was, they had both rather lost their enthusiasm for the idea. As they wandered distractedly down the main stretch, Tobi wondered if there was any point at all in getting anything.

They had talked a little longer and it was obvious that Holly didn’t think it was possible to make it out in human form. That meant leaving his backpack here. He would need to anyway. It would be far too much of a giveaway if he tried to leave the estate with it. He half heartedly asked if maybe it wasn’t to late for him to just get on a bus like Holly had told him to do the day before.

“You’ve met the alphas. I have no doubt they have already given your photo and information to any transportation places and the police.”

“No uber here?” he said half-jokingly.

“Oh, there is. One driver. He’s pack,” she said drily.

“Thought I’d ask,” Tobi sighed.

“It’s an easy way for the pack to get their teens in and out of places or parties with humans without arousing suspicion. There is a combined school on the edge of town. There’s a decent number of kids there,” Holly explained. Tobi nodded. It really was a lovely forest country town. Hanging baskets of tiny white and purple flowers dangled from many of the shops’ canopies. The few lamp posts were old fashioned but apparently lovingly tendered. None of the ones he saw had broken glass or missing bulbs. The gutters on the side of the road were very deep, telling him they got a lot of rain in the storm season.

They passed the one and only supermarket. From the outside, he could tell from the different coloured brick it had once been two buildings and the dividing wall had been taken out on the inside. Next to it was a bakery that seemed to be doing a roaring trade. It was small with at least eight people inside. The wafting smell of warm bread and sweet rolls made his mouth water. Further along was an equally tiny butcher.

“He does more specialty meats like venison, goose and rabbit. That sort of thing. He makes the most amazing sausages,” Holly said, following Tobi’s gaze. They walked on, Tobi using the pretty shops as a distraction from his anxiety.

They passed a post office, a quilting and art supplies shop, a second-hand book shop, two cafes and Thai take away restaurant. Many of the little shops were converted houses or had a flat upstairs. It bothered Tobi more than a little to realise that this place was exactly what he had always imagined as the ideal home for himself. This had been when he was still trapped in Nathan’s pack.

He had fantasied running away, starting up a little hairdresser in a tiny town where werewolves never went. He imagined living above his shop, a perfect dull happy mundane life. And yet, even here, in this picturesque town with its overflowing flower pots and well-kept shop fronts, there was a feeling that something wasn’t right. It was strangely easy to spot the tourists moving about with their homemade ice creams and shopping. They looked carefree and relaxed.

The occupants of the shops were not so relaxed.

It wasn’t that they were afraid or that they avoided meeting his eye when they caught him looking. No, it was the strange sort of resignation on their faces that made him uncomfortable. A chilling thought occurred to him.

“Can the humans leave? The ones that live here full time, I mean,” Tobi asked. Holly winced.

“No.” Tobi looked at her sharply.

“No?”

“From what I understand, if they have too much contact with the pack, the alphas don’t permit them to go. If they keep to themselves and keep their kids away from it all, on rare occasions they are allowed to leave or visit outside the area,” she sighed.

“So, they are as much prisoners as we are?” he whispered. She nodded.

“Yes. It is a very large prison and there are no physical walls but this place is a prison none the less. There are a few who don’t mind it, even chose it but not all. There are, of course, people who stumbled on the pack’s identity by mistake and have been forced to stay under the threat of death. With the police so deeply involved and well paid for it, there isn’t anyone they can tell,” Holly said as they walked past an antiques shop. Tobi shook his head, amazed.

“It’s hard to believe,” he admitted.

“Hopefully you won’t be here long enough to see the proof of it,” she replied. It was getting close to lunch time. They had been walking slow, meandering down side street to see the suburban houses. Some were obviously contemporary which others were crumbling with age.

“Let’s get something to eat.” Holly took them back to a café. Tobi couldn’t help but notice it was the same woman from the other day. She gave them both a slightly frightened look and hurriedly went back to cleaning the table she was at. Was this normal here? People constantly walking around on eggshells?

This was so alien to Tobi. Whilst some human population knew of shifter society it was a closely kept secret and the majority of the human population had no clue shifters were real outside folk lore. Werewolves often had their contacts but to have an entire human town under pack control was… insane.

Holly was at the counter. She seemed unbothered by the woman’s skittishness or perhaps just used to it. She ordered them some toasted sandwiches and coffee and went to a free table. Tobi sat down with her.

“So, it will have to be after dinner. If you don’t turn up for dinner, they will know something is wrong.”

“I’m pretty sure the behemoth locks my door at night,” Tobi commented drily. Holly snorted.

“I assume you mean George. Yes, he does mine too at the moment.” Tobi raised his eyebrows.

“They know I’m close to you so they aren’t taking any chances,” she grumbled.

“Then how do I get out?” Tobi spluttered.

“Leave that to me. There is someone who owes me a favour and I’m going to cash it in. Wait for me, I’ll unlock your door and take you out through the servant corridor. Once we are outside, turn wolf and run. Don’t look back.” She said all this very fast and very quietly. They lapsed into silence as the woman brought their food and drinks. Tobi often her a polite smile but she skuttled away without meeting his eyes. Tobi sighed and started on his toasted sandwich.

\--

“Did you enjoy your tour around the town Tobi?” Tobi nearly missed the chair he was about to sit down on. He sprung to his feet as the smooth velvet voice of Anton sung out his name. Tobi tried to rearrange his face into a more neutral expression as the man came towards him. They were back in the dining hall for dinner. It was no less awkward then the night before with most of the people there ignoring or avoiding Tobi.

“I did. It is a lovely town,” Tobi said steadily. The man’s blue eyes locked with his and Tobi forgot to take in oxygen. Bound in place by that gaze, he stood ridged as the alpha stepped into his personal space. He could smell Lorena on Anton and see, just under the collar of his finely tailored shirt, several claw marks. He certainly didn’t seem bothered by it. If anything, he held an extra air of smugness to his stance.

“Come, sit. I wanted to have a talk to you,” Tobi felt his muscles clench with fear. He wanted Anton to leave him alone. He felt like the more time he spent with the man; the more chances Anton would have of finding out his intentions.

Unless… he couldn’t already know, could he? The man quirked a smile, one canine showing. He gestured to the empty chair. Tobi sat.

“So, tell me about your pack? They must be missing you,” Anton sat right next to him, his proximity making Tobi’s skin tingle. He tried to edge away from the man, almost falling out of the chair for how far he was leaning. He wasn’t sure how to play this game. If he said he was a key part of the pack then it would make no sense as to why they would allow him here unattended…

“I’m not an overly important member of the pack. It still took a while to get the leave cleared though. I don’t imagine they are panicking too much,” Tobi explained uncomfortably. He wished the man would at least fucking blink.

“Your pack is either very foolish or very strong. Are they strong, Tobi?” Anton purred. Tobi refused to let his hands fiddle with the table cloth. He met those electric blue irises head on even as his eyes tried to water in response.

“I would say my opinion on the matter would be highly biased, one way or the other. Wouldn’t you agree alpha?” He had to grind out the words with real effort. It was like staring down a charging bull elephant. His muscles were starting to ache with just how tightly and violently he was clenching himself together. It was as if, if he relaxed, his very soul would be ripped out of chest by this man.

Anton smiled.

“I suppose it would be. It’s a shame you won’t be staying for the full moon. It is a time for bonding. We could have gotten to know you better,” he sighed. Tobi couldn’t help but let his eyes narrow.

“Pack bonding time. I wouldn’t want to intrude,” he said flatly.

“Do you bond with your pack Tobi?” Anton shifted further into his space. Tobi held his breath.

“I, well, not as much-” Anton pressed closer until his lip were brushing Tobi’s ear. He shivered.

“Is that why you smell absolutely nothing like other wolves?” the alpha growled. Tobi leapt to feet but thankfully, this was also the same time that the door flung open and three people walked in laden with dishes, distracting most people from Tobi’s retreat.

“Sit down darling, it’s time for dinner.” Lorena called over to him. Vibrating with nervous tension, Tobi retook his seat. Thankfully, Anton seemed to think he had won whatever game he had invented and was now content to ignore Tobi as he turned back to the main room.

“Friends and loving family, thank you for coming to dinner. Let’s enjoy and be thankful,” he said. Tobi was served his food, a heaping of mashed potato along with corn cobs and a large helping and lamb stew. It could have tasted like chalk and Tobi probably wouldn’t have been able to tell. Somewhere in the back of his mind was the horrible suspicion that Anton knew of their escape plan for that night.

He had wanted to warn Holly but just as the night before, they were separated in their seating arrangement and once the food had been eaten, Lorena had dismissed everyone and George had come to escort him to his room. The massive man was as ever the silent guard and showed him into the bedroom with little more then a nod. The moment Tobi walked inside and the door closed, he heard the lock scrape into place.

What followed were some of the most uncomfortable and nerve-wracking hours since his escape from his old pack. He had no idea when Holly would come for him. There was nothing to do but wait. They had come up with the idea of wrapping his phone and wallet in a bandanna that could be tied around his neck in wolf form. That way he would at least have some money whenever he stopped at wherever. Ears straining, he was unable to relax. He just wanted this to be over with, one way or another.

It was about midnight when the lock clicked.

Tobi leapt to his feet. He tensed as the door slowly slid open. Holly’s pale face greeted him. She placed a finger to her lips and nodded. Tobi scooped up the bandana and followed her. They crept stealthily down the corridor. It was almost pitch black with the heavy curtains closed. For once he was grateful for the noise cancelling carpets that swept down the hallway. Still, every stride away from his room caused another layer of tension. It grew on him like vines. He felt sluggish, unco-ordinated and heavy, all the time expecting the next door they passed to be the one that swept open the reveal the sentry, a figure in his mind who was ten feet tall and faceless even as wolf.

Only when Holl raised a hand to press on a section of wall did he notice she was wearing gloves. She was clearly trying to take precautions not to leave her scent in more places then were usual. The panel swung silently inwards on well-oiled hinges.

The passage inside was another hallway with a slightly lower ceiling. He followed Holly inside. There were no statues of people or ornate sculpture down this passage. The walls were bare and the carpet was more well-worn. Clearly, they had entered the servant’s corridors. These were just as maze like as the rest of the manor house if not worse as there was no artwork to act as landmark. They could have gone in a wavering loop and Tobi wasn’t sure he would have been able to tell. It smelt of dust, aged timber, hinge-oil, moth balls and dried flowers. He tried to breathe through his mouth. His nose was starting to itch.

They descended some particularly narrow stone steps. Holly went sideways and he imitated her, careful not to rub up against the walls and leave a scent mark. The steps had a worn-down curve in the middle which told the silent story of thousands of footsteps over many decades. Distantly, he wandered if this place had always belonged to the wolves or if they had bought it. Finally, finally, after what felt like an age and just before the claustrophobia set in, they came to a stop in front of a heavy looking timber door. Holly took out an aged key and slipped it carefully into the lock. It opened with a satisfying clunk.

The smell of cool night air nearly made Tobi weep. Holly looked around carefully before giving a nod. They stepped outside. The scent of potting mix and manure was strong. They had apparently come out in what was the gardener’s corner. The cobblestone path led to a large tool shed. Several wheel barrows were tipped up against an old brick wall and several neat rows of disused pots lined up against the wall of the manor. A large hedge blocked off this worker area from the outside eye. Holly led him to the gap in the hedge. The gardens were quiet. Crickets chirped and the occasion frog sung up but the trees were still, undisturbed by any breeze.

“I… I can’t go any further,” Holly whispered. Tobi looked at her sadly. He knew they had to say goodbye but he still didn’t like it.

“I have to get this key back and go back to my room before they suspect anything,” she said softly. Tobi nodded.

“I understand, thank you for everything,” he murmured. They risked the hug, Tobi squeezing her tight.

“Go,” she rasped. He pulled away reluctantly. He passed her the bandana. They gave each other one last smile before Tobi allowed himself to shift. His wolf form was just as odd as his human one. His pelt was a wash of creamy white and pale grey all except his paws which were black. In a dark forest, it gave him the illusion of being a ghost floating over the ground. She bent down and carefully tied the bandana around his neck.

“That should hold,” Holly said as she straightened. She gave him a weak smiled. Tobi leant forward and gave her cheek a lick then turned and began to trot away.

His fur was bristling. He tried to stay calm because the scent of fear was strong even with no breeze to carry it. The sweat let off by the pads of his paws would lead a trail straight to him. It was difficult to separate that animal part of his brain, especially as his senses took in his surroundings. The scent of wolf was everywhere.

He followed the road for a while, knowing the stench of tarmac and cars would mask him a little. Once he was far enough away for the windows of the main house to fade to the size of postage stamps, he broke into a loping run. He only had a few hours to put as much distance as possible between himself and the alphas that would perhaps be coming for him. Surely, he would have at least and hour or two before he could expect anything amiss.

That was what he thought until a loud blood curdling howl broke the night’s silence.

It wasn’t a seeking howl or a bonding howl.

It was a hunting howl.

Without thinking, Tobi broke into a full gallop, fear spiking through him as well as a gunshot. He pelted hard down the road for several long minutes before he was able to reign in his terror and regain some control. Paw pads throbbing with pain from the rough road, he dodged off into the grass. He could go a little further until he went into the forest…

At the turn onto the main road was a figure.

Tobi propped to a standstill in a few short strides, flattening himself in the long grass. The figure standing in the middle of the road was enormous. Oddly, at first glance he wasn’t sure that it was a wolf. In the low moonlight, the beast was tall and short furred, more dog like then wolf. It looked well-muscled; ears longer than it should have. Tobi thought the animal looked like a giant Doberman. He knew logically that shifters could really be any species. He had just never seen one like this before.

Without being told, he knew this was the black sentry, the guardian of the roads and manmade pathways out of the town. The animal stood statue still as it looked up the road. It hadn’t seen Tobi yet and Tobi had no interest in getting any closer.

He edged back and entered into the forest. He felt better in the forest where there was thick undergrowth to help hide him. It took close to fifteen minutes of solid travel for his fear to dissipate a little. The trees were so thick here that hardly any light broke through. The howl didn’t come again and yet Tobi found himself looking back and around almost constantly.

He had a strong sensation that he wasn’t alone in this forest.

Nervously, he slowed his pace, needing to quieten his own steps if he were to hear anyone else’s. Walking on paws of cotton, Tobi crept from one patch of shadow to another. He was sure or almost sure that the animal stalking him was still close. Here, deep in this forest, they seemed to be circling each other.

Surely Tobi was getting further away from the manor house and the pack and yet with every soft ebb of wind the pack scent lingered. He was fairly sure the creature pacing did not know exactly where Tobi was. He was not large or strong but he was, as a result, quiet as a zephyr of air. It would be only by his lingering scent that the other wolf followed.

It was a slow queer game of cat and mouse where no-one could move quickly without making enough noise to give themselves away. Tobi was sure he was ahead of his pursuers but by how far he didn’t know. There was no wind to carry scent. Only the creeping in his coat and the half movement through far away trees told him he wasn’t alone.

He paused often, staying low to the ground and barely breathing, listened. Twice he heard the footfall of a larger animal. The pelt of the animal must be black or muddy brown because when Tobi searched the depths of the forest behind, he only every glimpse the inky broken shape. Never a full creature, maybe a shoulder, part of a tail of the slightest gleam of an eye.

He was so transfixed on what was coming from behind that he nearly fell into an enormous hole. His paws slid of damp loose earth, his weight lurching forward. He managed to catch himself on some thick tree roots. The hole had been made from a huge ancient tree as it had fallen. What was odd was just how steep the sides were. Disguised by leaf litter and broad-leafed ferns, Tobi may not have noticed it had he been running.

He crept carefully around it, hackles half raised. In his blunder, the animal behind had gotten closer. In his nervousness Tobi began to trot and also stumbled into another narrower and deep hole. Definitely suspicious now, Tobi changed directions and headed west, cutting a line across the downward side of the hill.

Once he had gone quite a way, he turned back north. The further he went, the more unstable the ground seemed to be. There were holes everywhere, often hidden and lightly covered over with moss. Twice, Tobi caught the glint of metal. Barbed wire was strewn through several low scrubby heather. To a passer-by it would have seemed like litter.

To Tobi, it was becoming clear that this edge of the forest was boobytrapped.

He stopped, unsure. It wasn’t impassable. He was sure. There must be safe paths through it all but in the dark and hard pressed by pursuers, it was too easy to be blunder. If he injured his legs or cut himself deeply enough to leave a blood spur then he was as good as caught. He could try to cut towards the roads but there he would find the sentry. Tobi rocked on his paws, ears flickering back and forth. There were still sounds, way behind. He turned back the way he had come, dodging up between the boulders.

He realised that he should have planned this better, should have studied a map. He had no idea how far he needed to go before there was another road. He had made the terrible assumption that these wolves were the same untrained pack he had grown up with. He had assumed their instincts were dulled but the animal that stalked him was no inexperienced hunter. Not when it could go just as silently as Tobi could and still be twice Tobi’s size.

His heart gave a great leap in his chest as he passed over the crest of the hill and saw an empty road down below. Before he could jump down, his eyes picked up movement on the other side.

There was another, even louder howl and from the depth of those trees, a wild aura.

He could feel her frenetic energy. It was like a ravenous hyena, loud and grating along his nerves. She would be the first to the kill, the first to her teeth to the animal’s throat and pull on the slick tendons until it suffocating in its blood. Tobi recoiled, his muscle protectively locking together in reaction to the rageful energy. He couldn’t go that way, couldn’t face Lorena.

With her in front, the sentinel behind and Anton stalking the forest around him, Tobi exits were closing off.

There were no other options left to him.

\--

He had been seeking his prey for over an hour. His blood was hot in his veins, need driven high by the hunger of his mate. Anton felt the wicked presence of the she-wolf as Lorena took the pack limo to edge of town and shifted to wolf form to work her way back towards him. The distance Tobi had covered was impressive.

If the pup had gotten even another half hour head start on them, Lorena would probably not have been able to head him off. He had followed Tobi’s trail but without the usual ease that came from tracking a clumsy werewolf. This one had experience with moving quickly and silently. Anton caught sight of the ghostly white pelt and knew his quarry was still ahead. He was separate by the overlapping hills of rough granite and fern brush. By the time he picked his way through, Tobi had vanished again.

Carefully, he searched for the trail again, almost sure the pup had not continued on north. He could see the road from this little ridge and felt Lorena’s closeness. As he felt her in his mind, he knew Tobi must have turned back. The pup was clever. It took Anton awhile to find Tobi’s scent and it curved in a slow spiral as to not accidently run into himself.

It was headed back to the manor house.

He raced the track towards home, paws carrying him along a well memorised path. He broke out from the last of the trees and shifted, eyes scanning the garden.

Anton froze.

The young man was sitting by the pond closest to the house, silver hair glinting ethereally in the moonlight. He seemed oblivious to Anton, staring up at the night’s sky, his body relaxed. Anton stepped closer, drinking in the sight. His foot brushed a pile of leafy debris and Tobi looked over at him.

“Good evening,” Tobi said politely. Swallowing down a mouthful of saliva, he strode toward the reclined figure.

“You are outside of your room. It is very late Tobi,” Anton murmured, unblinking blue tidepools consuming the face of the wolf in front of him.

“Was I not supposed to be outside my room? No one told me I couldn’t go for a walk?” Tobi said casually. They both studied each other, poised.

“We ask that visitors and young ones stay in their rooms. It is unsafe to walk the grounds at night,” Anton said, his low voice almost a growl.

“Unsafe? What, pray tell, makes the ground unsafe with alpha like you around?” Tobi had learnt to play the game well and in such a short time. Anton leaned in and despite his best attempts to control himself, Anton saw the wolf’s pupils shrink and heard the breath accelerate.

Up close, the evidence of the wolf’s run was clear. Tobi’s cheeks were flushed, sweat damp on his forehead. Though he looked relax, his sweet scent was laced with fear and adrenaline.

“The forest is old. I wouldn’t want you to get lost.”

Tobi tried not to flinch as the alpha sat beside him, heat radiating off the man.

“Ah, well perhaps that can be the agenda tomorrow. Holly can show me the forest,” Tobi said, his tongue thick in his mouth. He froze into stillness as Anton took hold of his chin, tilting his face up to meet those intensely blue eyes. He tried not to think about how he wanted to flex into that touch.

“We can make a day of it,” the alpha promise darkly. Tobi swallowed. Up close and increased by his sweat, the scent from the alpha was starting to make him dizzy.

“Let’s get you back to bed.” Tobi had little say in the matter as a strong hand clamped down on the back of his neck and he was steered towards the house. He didn’t know why Anton wasn’t calling him out on his escape attempt but if the powerful grip and scent of the man was anything to go by, this was only the beginning.

\--

END

\--


	6. Paw Pads and Tail Tips

\--

Chapter Six

Paw Pads and Tail Tips

\--

It was with an expression of shock and horror that Holly met with him in the hallway the next morning. Her mouth fell open and her hands came up to her face. She rushed to him, checking him over. When it became clear he was unhurt, she stepped back. He could tell she wanted to ask what had happened but they could already hear the sounds of others getting up and moving about for the morning.

Their conversation would have to wait.

He had to pause several times before they entered the dining room to give Holly a chance to stop shaking. It was obvious that Anton had know about their escape plan. Exactly how and who told was the cause of Holly’s fear. They didn’t know if the alphas knew of Holly’s involvement. He wished he could offer her some words of comfort but his own tongue felt oddly heavy this morning.

He couldn’t push away the memories from last night, the enormous black figure lurking between the trees, the breathless chase through a shadowed forest and the sight of the man striding towards him like a breaking storm cloud.

Anton had walked Tobi all the way back to his room. He had half expected the dark hair man to force entry but Anton had not tried to follow Tobi inside. Tobi had stumbled through the doorway into his bedroom, the old door closing softly behind him. He could still feel the alpha though. For one wild moment, he had considered testing the doorhandle and just trying again. A second escape attempt so soon may have caught the pack leaders off guard.

He didn’t though. Though he did not yet share the pack connection, he almost thought he could sense the powerful aura of the male close by. Tobi was also achingly tired. It had been two in the morning by the time he had arrived back. He had collapsed onto the bed, refusing to pull the covers down because he had still been covered in dirt and leaves. He had woken stiff and unrested that morning to a ‘complimentary’ pounding at his door. Apparently, George had been sent to wake him so he wouldn’t miss breakfast.

How thoughtful.

When they got to the dining hall it was still mostly empty. Wolves moved in and out, taking their plates and sitting down to study newspapers or phones. He didn’t mind the morning meals so much simply for how much more relaxed it felt. Anton was there but so far, the alpha seemed more preoccupied talking to a middle-aged tall man with long braids. Tobi headed over to the food tables with Holly and started dishing out bacon and scrambled eggs. His run had certainly built up his appetite.

Holly made them coffees as Tobi found a place at the immense table to sit down. For a few minutes they were to engrossed in their food to pay much attention to what was around them. This turned out to be a poor choice. Tobi’s fingers spasmed against the coffee cup as Anton’s voice started in his ear.

“Good morning Tobi. Did you sleep well?” The alpha’s voice was a thick melodic purr, enticing him to tilt his head back and offer up his throat. Fuck, he nearly did, his muscles twitching under his shirt in response to the silent command. Tobi grit his teeth and grabbed his mug hard enough for the porcelain to creak in his hands. He had been so taken up with his breakfast, he hadn’t noticed the alpha finish his conversation and cross the room.

“Fine thank you. Better after my peaceful walk last night,” he snapped the words out as though he could use them as weapons against the man who was currently flaying him open with nothing but murmurs. A couple of the wolves looked up from their breakfast, some curious and other surprised. Tobi had just revealed he had been out at night and come back. Unscathed. Holly sent him a vaguely panicked look.

“I’m glad. Lorena was worried about you when she found out you had left your room.” The man’s hands settled on the back of Tobi’s chair, the proximity making his stomach cramp. The alpha smelt of heavy storms, black tea, musk and tarragon. He wanted to turn his head and bury his nose in the man’s shirt to better get the taste of him down his throat.

“How thoughtful of her to check up on me,” Tobi croaked. He forced himself to sip the coffee, his palette unable to appreciate the taste now that it recognised a want for something better.

“Lorena always takes great interest in her packmates.” At these words, those wandering eyes of the other wolves dropped immediately back to their plates, apparently subdued with the mere reminder of their female alpha. What was she to them? What did she do to them to have them so firmly under her control? Or under his?

He had been holding the cup so long against his bottom lip that he realized he was burning himself. He jerked the cup back, splashing some of the coffee onto the tabletop.

“Oh Tobi, please be careful,” Anton purred, taking Tobi’s chin in his forefinger and tilting his face up. For one wild moment, Tobi thought the man would lean down and trace his lip with that tongue. It frustrated him to know that part of his body and soul wanted that very much. He had never felt such a visceral reaction to alphas like he did with these two. He wanted to but he also understood that every damn minute he spent under their roof was another minute closer to loosing his freedom forever.

“I can take care of myself,” Tobi said, perhaps more coldly then was wise. He could feel everyone intensely listening.

“We can see that.” The way Anton said this sent chills up Tobi’s spine. He only had today and tomorrow before his pretend alpha was supposed to come and get him. What would happen after that, Tobi didn’t know. Even though it was painfully obvious Tobi didn’t have an alpha, Lorena and Anton were still playing along. Was this their way of testing him out? Were they deciding if he was worth keeping or killing?

“Let us know when you would like that tour,” Anton added smoothly.

“Sure thing,” Tobi growled. He had spent to many years being a plaything, something small and weak for others to target. He had been hunting practice for the alpha’s sons, prey for them to bite and rip. He knew what it felt like to have canines under his muscle and feel wind on skinless shoulder blades. He had also felt the parting of flesh under his own fangs. The night he had escapes he had rendered the throat of one of those wolves…

Tobi looked down at his plate of scrambled eggs, no longer remotely hungry. He struggled not to drown in those memories. They had distanced themselves in his mind as the years went on but occasionally hearing a specific phrase or catching a particular scent cause Tobi to be flung into his past.

It hadn’t always been awful. Children were precious for a pack. The humans outnumber the shifters by such an alarming degree that any successful birth was treated with celebration. They were raised inside the pack by any and all adults who can help. He had grown up with the other pups in relative safety. He had played, more or less, like any other child. He had even been allowed to go to school. It wasn’t until he was about eleven that his world had started to fall apart.

That was when his mother had become sick.

There were rumours, whispers and murmurs that Sefina had done it to herself. She was unlike any other wolf in Nathan’s pack. Lean limbed and lovely with white silver hair like her son, she was slender and secretive. Her different appearance meant she was coveted by the alpha despite his usual preference for large breasted curvy females. Sefina was not interested though. She had no love for anyone and drew further and further into herself. She wasted away in her sickness until there was nothing of her left, just the bones left to bleach.

With her gone, the barriers of Tobi’s world shattered. It was then that the others seemed to notice he, too, was different in both appearance and temperament. Nathan took Sefina’s choice to die as a personal insult as well as a failure for him as an alpha. He had refused to give the she-wolf a proper burial and discarded her corpse at a landfill sight, the humans finding the remains of a white wolf with confusion.

That day had been one of the worst in Tobi’s young life. It marked the beginning of what would be long years of torture and ridicule before he had been able to fight back and escape. This thought gave him strength. For Tobi to have escaped Nathan’s pack was the biggest insult a wolf could ever receive. In some pack culture, for an alpha to lose his or her members marred their reputation worse then a lose in battle.

He was brought from his dark thoughts when Holly gently tugged on his sleeve.

“Come on, let’s go for a walk,” she whispered. Anton had moved off again and Tobi’s breakfast had gone cold. He pushed his plate away and stood, following Holly from the room. As they left, he felt unknown eyes piercing into them from behind but when he looked, he did not catch a single person watching. Holly was practically vibrating as they left the manor house and started on a slow walk into the garden and hopefully away from prying ears and eyes.

“So, what happened!?” she exploded as they reached the tree line. Tobi jumped. They had been so quiet that her sudden shout spooked some ravens from a neighbouring tree.

“I don’t really know. They must have been waiting for us to try something because I only got to the road before their howl went out. I ran for a while and nearly met with the sentry.” Holly drew in a sharp breath.

“Then I turned into the forest but had to turn around and come back. There were so many traps the further I got from the territory and I didn’t know where I was going. Did you know about them, the traps?” he asked in a low voice, sharp eyes studying her face. She was pale as she shook her head.

“No. At least, not with any detail. I had guessed they might have tried something like that but I didn’t know of anything specific. What kind of traps were they? I… I never got far enough to see anything,” she admitted in a much softer voice then before.

“Barbed wire, holes in the earth, that sort of thing.”

“What did they do when they caught you?” Holly asked in a quivering voice. Tobi snorted.

“They didn’t, not really. I made it all the way back to the manor before Anton caught up,” he said with a small hint of pride.

“Really?” Holly sounded amazed. There was a definite glint of admiration in her eyes.

“Yeah. He didn’t call me out on trying to run away either, just… politely took me back to my room,” Tobi added. Holly shook her head.

“That’s incredible. Maybe because you managed to leave and come back, he was impressed?” she suggested. Tobi looked up at the grey clouds drifting noiselessly overhead. It sounded bat shit crazy but then this whole place was bat shit crazy so she was probably right.

“No idea. The real question is, what now? I’m running out of time,” he said, looking around the peaceful gardens.

“I don’t understand what they are waiting for,” he growled. Holly hesitated, kicking a small rock into one of the small tranquil ponds. They watched it sink gently to the bottom of the dark water.

“Anton and Lorena live for the kill. They don’t just enjoy fighting other packs, they invite it. If there is even a chance another alpha will come for you, they will wait for them. You know, this land used to belong to a sleuth of werebears,” Holly said as she sat by the pond. Tobi stayed standing, his back ridged.

“What?”

She nodded up at his stunned face.

“I don’t know how many there were but Anton and Lorena killed them all. I don’t think they even allowed the cubs to survive. That was a long time ago though.” Tobi’s brain was grinding. He knew, logically that wolves could kill a bear. A lot of wolves could kill one bear. This was…

“I know what you’re going to say, that it’s impossible,” Holly sighed. Tobi just shook his head.

“I understand what you’re saying to me, Holly, but I just… I can’t…”

“You haven’t seen them shift. You haven’t seen them fight,” Holly breathed.

“Have you?” His voice dropped to a whisper. She nodded.

“Once. This land if quite coveted. The town is lovely and small, the territory is massive and the forest holds a lot of prey. Occasionally, a rival pack will enter into the area and think its up for the taking. Anton and Lorena… they rounded up the last one to try. They killed the alpha in seconds and then went through the pack and picked out the ones they wanted to keep like a stud stallion stealing some young mares. They submitted or they died. I’ve never…” she trailed off.

“I knew that day that I would never try to escape.” Tobi stared down at her, his hands curling into fists.

“Fuck this shit,” he spat. Her head whipped up.

“Tobi!” He was already striding back towards the house. He charged back into the foyer, looking around. The house may have been a labyrinth but he now knew Anton’s scent. It hadn’t been long, only half an hour or so and the dining room still had a few late morning goings. He found Anton without really trying, the man sipping at a cup of black coffee, his sparkling electric blue eyes fixing on Tobi’s face. Ignoring his instincts, Tobi stormed over.

“I’m ready for my tour of the forest alpha.” Tobi said with much politeness despite his confrontational body posture. He was ridiculously small and slender in comparison to the dark-haired bulk of the powerful man but he stared up at him with all the insolence of the young and foolish. Anton’s smirk sent a heated coil through Tobi’s blood which he stamped down with pure defiance.

“Of course. By all means, let’s Carpe diem, as they say.” The wolf placed the mug down on a nearby table, abandoning his coffee now that he something more interesting to focus on. Tobi turned on his heel and marched surreptitiously from the dining room to the shock and interest of the remaining wolves. There was no need to turn around. He could feel Anton behind him, the large man eating up the space between them on horrifying silent tread.

Holly stood stunned and nervous at the door to the outside, her large eyes wide.

“Would you like to come with us lovely?” Anton purred. Holly visibly shivered, her body trembling. Tobi fought down a snarl and sidled in front of her.

“Ye-”

“No,” Tobi cut in, startling her.

“You promised me a tour of the forest,” Tobi said, glaring up at Anton. The alpha raised a dark eyebrow.

“Indeed. Well then, shall we?” He held an expectant hand out toward the doorway and Tobi stomped off, leaving a shocked Holly behind.

Tobi was walking so fast, his breathes were starting to become haggard. He didn't care though. He was done with their games. If Anton wanted to show him the forest, he could bloody well show Tobi every damn tree. He needed to show this man he wasn't afraid. He wasn't going to be intimidated into submission. He had felt fear, been made to feel small. He had sworn when he had torn out Wyatt's throat and watched the wolf bleed out that he would never be the victim again.

"So where to first?" Tobi said in a falsely calm voice. He turned but Anton was already beside him, the man's longer legs allowing him to keep pace with Tobi's furious strides.

"The creek is lovely. We can start there," Anton suggested pleasantly. Tobi ground his teeth together and stalked after him as the alpha turned into the forest. It irritated him that the swift pace didn’t seem to both Anton’s in the slightest.

They walked side by side for a while, Tobi trying to keep his panting as quiet as possible. Anton paused at the turn down into a little gully. His sudden pause made Tobi stumble.

“What do you know of traditional pack law?” Anton’s asked suddenly. The dark-haired man was looking up into the tress. Tobi followed his gaze. By day, the trees were a vibrant canopy of greens, browns and oranges. The forest was more ancient than Tobi had first realised. The stillness of the space was broken only by the occasional hunting bird or whisp of wind that broke through the entanglement of brush to the forest floor of moist ferns and bracken.

“I know what I was taught. I imagine every pack teaches the laws slightly different to best suit the alphas that rule there,” Tobi replied, catching those living blue irises briefly. Anton’s lips twisted into a lopsided smile.

“Brutally honest. I appreciate that quality in you, Tobi. I believe the old laws should be taught in their entirety even if what they say does not favour all those who hear them. What did your alpha teach you?” Anton turned to face Tobi. The smaller wolf shifted uncomfortably.

“That the alpha’s word is law. The pack always comes first. The pack empowers the alpha and the alpha empowers the pack. We are connected and through this connection we grow. To live alone is to die,” Tobi spat the words out with all the venom he held for them. These few sentences had ruled his existence for as long as he could remember. For so long he had believed that no wolf could survive without a pack. Until he had done it himself.

Anton hummed. Tobi was almost grateful when the man began to walk again. The alpha allowed some silence to settle between them for a while just walking. Tobi caught the sound of water and knew they must be getting close to the creek. This was not the same way he had come the night before. He wasn’t completely sure but he thought they had walked much further east then he had gone alone.

“That version is more accurate than others I have heard over the year. Of course, we both know parts of that are not true, don’t we Tobi?” Anton purred. Tobi said nothing, staring ahead. The alpha chuckled. The gully opened out into a creek bed. Water rushed quick and smooth of curved rocks and polished tree roots. Tobi breathed in the air of the ancient forest, trying to let it settle his nerves.

“This creek runs right through our territory,” he commented. Then he turned and face Tobi.

“Why don’t we stop playing this game for a moment?” Anton’s words made Tobi freeze in place. He looked at the man who was suddenly far to close or comfort.

“Do you have an alpha coming to get you soon?” he asked, eyes half closed. His shoulders were relaxed, his expression faintly amused.

“That’s what I said.” Tobi had to internally congratulate himself on not allowing his voice to shake.

“And if they don’t come, will you choose to stay?” Tobi swallowed down a large lump in his throat.

“No.”

“Still so honest. You are a wonder, Tobi,” Anton breathed. He stepped in, large hands coming up to settle on Tobi’s hips. His fingers twisted into his belt loops and tugged him close.

"Don't you want to be grounded Tobi? Don't you want a place to stay, a place to be?" Tobi was having trouble breathing. He was too close. But just for the briefest of moments he allowed himself to imagine what it would be like to just sink his own teeth into the meat of the man's shoulder, to have Anton throw him down and claim him. The thought evaporated with the next gust of summer air.

"I don't need others to be grounded. I don't need you in order to be whole," Tobi snarled, hating how the words tasted like bitter lies on his tongue. Distantly he wondered what it would be to be human, to be able to act a whole person without the need for a blood pack. He felt disorientated, his body responding to Anton in a way he couldn't turn off or ignore.

"What are you, Tobi, that you resist us so easily?" Anton said, his voice filled with puzzlement. Tobi would have laughed if the sound hadn't choked him. Easily? None of this was fucking easy. He detangled himself from the taller man, stumbling backwards into the creek. He splashed into the water, the cold shocking him from his daze. He looked down, seeing the rushing water properly for the first time.

"You say this creek goes all the way through your territory?" Tobi asked. Anton's blues eyes fixed on Tobi, wild and bright with interest.

"It does." Follow it. Run.

Run so I can catch you.

Tobi shifted, his feet sliding slightly on the slippery stones. Anton watched him hungrily, following after him stride for stride. Tobi felt hunted, even now. He tried to ignore his instinct to rock onto the balls of his feet, knowing if he ran then this little charade would be over. Two days. He had two days to find a way to leave. There had to be away.

It couldn't be impossible.

Could it?

\--

END

\--


	7. Another Bid for Freedom

\--

Chapter Seven

Another Bid for Freedom

\--

They spent nearly two hours in the forest. Despite the moment of weakness Anton showed in his interest in Tobi, the alpha had been weirdly civil for the remainder of the walk. The rest of the day had been dedicated to researching the forest and town on his phone.

Tobi looked around the massive dining room this next morning for several long moments but Holly's red curls were definitely not visible. She wasn't there. Ignoring the delicious looking breakfast foods, he walked a slow lap around the room. Several people glanced briefly in his direction and then went back to ignoring him. He sniffed. It was difficult with the powerful aroma of cooking meats, toast and coffee but he was almost sure Holly's scent was not there. She hadn't been down this morning. Had something happened? Was she sick?

Tobi turned to leave and nearly walked into Anton as he crossed the threshold into the room. Tobi stiffened.

"Good morning Tobi, I hope you slept well?" the man said, ever the polite host. Tobi forced a very ridged smile that made his jaw ache.

"Fine thank you alpha." He tried to edge around the man but of course, Anton didn't shift for him.

"Surely you haven't eaten already?" Anton inquired; blue eyes fixed on him like a hunting hound to a pigeon.

"No, I haven't. I'm going upstairs to wake Holly. She overslept," Tobi said in a firm voice, half daring the man to contradict or refuse him. Instead, Anton smiled, making the bottom of Tobi's stomach drop.

"Ah, I'm afraid she and Emily have already left this morning. They had some errands to run for us in town. We thought it would be a good opportunity for you to explore the grounds and meet the pack," the alpha said, his tone casual. Tobi resisted the urge to grit his teeth together.

"Perhaps I'll see her in town then?" Anton's smile widened, showing sharp teeth.

"Perhaps, but I doubt it. She'll be very busy today. Come, have something to eat." With very little choice, Tobi turned back around. He fetched a warm plate and began to angrily stab at a few pieces of bacon. He wasn't sure he believed that Holly had left the enormous manor house but with Anton so close, he couldn't go and check. Tobi carried his plate to a spare seat and sat down. As he ate, he carefully studied the people around him.

Many of the younger wolves avoided his eyes all together, huddling nervously together as though it was Tobi that was the real threat. The older members of the pack read newspapers of talked amongst themselves. They seemed more relaxed and less interested in the newcomer. He wandered if it would be more difficult to get information from the younger wolves or the older?

Now more than ever, Tobi wanted to find out if any other wolf had managed to escape this pack. The alphas seemed determined to keep him and Holly apart today. Well, if they wanted him to mingle, he would. The trouble was, there wasn't a single wolf that he approached that didn't shrink away from him.

He refilled his coffee cup and startled what he hoped, looked like a relaxed stroll around. He tried to catch the eye of a young woman hunched over a sketch pad. The second she felt his eyes on her, her head dropped lower until her cheek was practically glued to the table. He waved at a teenage boy who looked to be roughly seventeen. The freckle faced teen jumped as though he had been bitten.

Before Tobi could make his way over, the teenager all but fled out the nearest door. Annoyed, Tobi picked a new target and moved. A young man in his early twenties was putting his empty play on the tray to be taken back to the kitchen. He looked up and froze as Tobi came over to him.

"Good morning," Tobi said cheerfully.

"Good morning," the other wolf said hesitantly. He made to step around Tobi, but Tobi shifted, blocking off his retreat.

"Nice morning," Tobi said, trying again for conversation. The man gave the room around them a vaguely panicked look.

"It is. Excuse me, I have to get to work," the man said, his tone almost pleading.

"Oh, okay. I'm Tobi by the way. What's your name?" Tobi asked stubbornly.

"Look..." the man hissed, leaning in and lowering his voice.

“Please don’t talk to us,” he whispered. His eyes darted nervously from door to window as though he expected a bullet to shoot through the openings.

“Why?” Tobi asked eagerly. The man shook his head, his face pallid and sweat dampening his short hair.

“Because!” The wolf hissed. Tobi raised a pale eyebrow.

“Until the alphas have decided if you are allowed to stay, they will be watching all us in case we interfere.”

"Interfere?"

“You put us at risk, talking to us. If you try to leave, they’ll punish anyone they suspect of helping you!” he whispered urgently. He was drawing back from Tobi as though Tobi was about spit poison at him. Tobi stepped to one side and the man bustled passed, head down, still looking side to side with all the confidence of an escaping convict.

Well. That went... horribly.

\--

By noon Tobi had largely given up trying to talk to people and instead spent his time exploring the labyrinthine manor. George had an annoying habit of just popping up in whatever room Tobi was exploring, polishing a piece of silverware or dusting shelves. Tobi had the distinct feeling the massive wolf had been sent to keep an eye on him. With every room in found, he couldn't help but be equally impressed and worried.

It was obvious this pack had a lot of money and connections. It wasn't that he thought Holly was a liar, but he had hoped that maybe her opinion on the pack had been coloured by her own experiences of it. It was starting to become clear that she wasn't exaggerating. Everywhere he went smelt of wolf but every now and again, he caught the underlying scent of something much older and earthier. An odd creeping sensation followed him all morning.

By mid-afternoon, Holly still had not come back and Toby he returned to his bedroom, fed up with his overgrown silent babysitter. He grabbed his phone off the charge and brought up a satellite image of the area, studying it closely. The trees of the old forest were so dense that it was impossible to see any dirt roads or pathways even when he zoomed in all the way. There was a squiggly line that promised a road heading north but it stopped about three miles in.

Instead, he looked for the creek he and Anton had walked along yesterday. After a bit of searching, he found it. His heart gave a leap when he saw just how close to the town it went. He bit his lip. He and Holly had said their goodbyes. He knew if there was a chance for him to leave then Holly would be furious if he didn’t take it.

He could go into town on the pretence of finding Holly and head straight for the water. It wasn't much of a plan, but it was a plan. He doubted that Anton would expect him to try and leave in the middle of the day without Holly. He turned off his phone, grabbed his wallet and bandana and stuffed them carefully into his jeans pocket. Trying to look relaxed and unruffled, he went in search of George. He wasn't difficult to find as the massive wolf was loitering in the corridor outside his room.

"I want to go into town and wait for Holly to finish her errands, maybe grab a coffee. I don't mind walking, or do I need to organise a car...?" Tobi asked as casually as he could. George blinked dark eyes. The butler pulled out a phone, tapped the screen a few times and then looked down at him again.

"The car will be ready in five minutes," the man rumbled. It was the first time he had heard the wolf talk. The deep tone matched the man’s immense frame. Tobi nodded.

"Okay thanks." It was too awkward to stand there so Tobi took himself outside to wait for the car. Close by was a young-looking man pruning rose bush buds. The man glanced up at him and gave the smallest of waves. Tobi waved back. The man’s eyes flicked up to somewhere behind Tobi and then quickly dropped back down to the bush he was working on. Without needing to turn around, Tobi could sense George somewhere close on his left. He gave an annoyed huffed and resorted to pretending the man was there.

The car arrived; the driver once again silent as Tobi climbed in. As soon as he opened the door, the hair on his arms rose. He paused; half hunched to climb in.

“Problem, sir?” George rumbled. The smell was immediate and unmistakable. His nose twitched.

“It’s nothing,” Tobi growled as he climbed in and slammed the door shut. If the driver protested the rough treatment, he said nothing about it. Inside, the smell was much stronger. He sat rigidly in the leather seat. As the car pulled away from the manor, Tobi glanced around, skin prickling. The scent of leather cleaner was thick in the air but it not quite strong enough to erase the strong smell of blood. Tobi studied the upholstery, nails hardening into claws.

Whose blood was it? It wasn’t old. Maybe less then a day or so. Could it be Holly’s? Had they finally decided she was responsible for Tobi escaping the night before? Was he still going to leave if there was a chance Holly was lying injured somewhere? Bile rose in the back of his throat.

He didn’t think it was her blood. He was completely sure, but some part of his instincts told him its wasn’t right. George hadn’t looked bothered one way or the other when Tobi had mentioned going to meet Holly. Would the massive wolf have said anything if he had known she wasn’t there to be found?

The drive into the small town was short and uneventful despite Tobi’s increasing unease. He didn’t even bother to say good by to the driver, just opened the car door and fucking legged it out onto the street. It took several calming breathes for his heart to stop thudding in his chest. He tried to walk slowly, to stroll down the street like the pretty tourists. He peered into windows with his hands buried in his pockets. Calm. Breathe.

Suddenly he caught sight of someone he recognised. He hurried to catch up.

“Hey, Eliana isn’t it?” The teenager turned mid stride; her freckled face brightening with a smile.

“Hi Tobi! Out by yourself today?” she asked happily. She wasn’t alone. Her friend had stopped too. He was about her age but looked far more cautious, his green eyes narrowed on Tobi’s face. He had a ridiculous sideway sweep to his dark hair as though he thought the mess made him look roguish as apposed to if he had just stepped out of a tumble drier.

“Sort of. I’m just grabbing a coffee whilst Holly finished the last of her errands,” Tobi answered, testing the waters. The boy’s eyes narrowed further but Eliana nodded, apparently unconcerned.

“She shouldn’t be to long. I saw her dropping off some books to Mrs Stevenson half an hour ago.” Tobi let out a long breathe. So, Holly was okay. Feeling this would be a fair give away that he was up to something he instead said:

“That’s great. I’ll stay in town then. See you at dinner.” As he turned to walk away, he distinctly heard the boy mutter:

“We shouldn’t be talking to him El, he’s not pack.”

“Come on Dean, Lorena said we should be making friends with new wolves. Besides, what if he stays?”

“Yeah, well, then I would be questioning why his old pack doesn’t want him,” he hissed. Tobi stiffened. He wanted to turn around, grab the kid by his throat and tell him to go fuck himself. He didn’t though. He just kept walking. When he was absolutely sure there was no one from the pack watching him, he pulled out his phone and checked the co-ordinates. If he went out of the small suburb on the westward side, he should find the creek.

He strolled along a bit more, even went into a café and bought himself a coffee which he carried down a side street and abandoned in a trashcan. He tucked the wallet and phone into his bandana and fixed the bandana around his neck. With a deep breathe, he toed off his shoes, stripped off his shirt and allowed the shift.

It was a little strange to be in wolf form in the middle of the day and so close to human civilisation. He trotted quickly off the pavement and into the friendly trees. His heart began to thump again as he entered a thicket of brambles and stopped to listen. He half expected the hunting howl to ring through the warm air. There was nothing though, just the soft sound of wind through pine needles.

He went.

It took so long to find the creek that Tobi was beginning to think he had gone the wrong way. He stepped in, lowered his muzzle and drank, feeling the cool water tugging at his legs. He started down the creek at a steady trot but soon stopped again. Anton had specifically shown him the little water course. He would undoubtably believe Tobi would use it.

The idea that a hound could not follow scent through water had long since been disproven as wishful thinking. The water may dampen his scent a bit, but it would not break the line. Tobi doubled back and got out on the other side. He did his best to leap right out onto the shaly rock so that his pawprint would not show on the soft dark mud right at the bank of the creek bed.

He leapt from rock to rock, trying his best not to leave marks on any soft earth. The sun was already getting lower. It was hard to say but he guessed it was creeping to five in the afternoon. He would not have long before the pack would sit down for dinner and alphas learned he would not be joining them. They would also undoubtably know where he went into the forest.

This thought pushed him to go faster. Where the forest floor gave away to thick leaf litter or rock, Tobi loped, going as fast as he dared whilst dodging anything thorny that might snag his fur.

It was then that he heard the hunting howl.

Hackles rising Tobi paused to listen to the distant howl. It was not yet dinner time. As he broke into a trot his mind raced. It was too early! It had to be that Holly had finished whatever she was doing. Someone, maybe Eliana, maybe George, would have told Lorena or Anton that Tobi had gone into town to meet with Holly. Holly would come out and Tobi wouldn’t be there.

He bounded down into a small valley and then straight up the other side, flanks heaving and muscles straining. If he had been able, he would have stopped, checked his current co-ordinates and then pushed on again but he didn’t have that luxury. He needed to put as much distance between him and wolves pursuing him. An old exhilarating fear crept down his spine as he ran.

This was it. He wasn’t going to get another shot before the full moon. If he were caught here, now, the alphas would not let him leave the manor. That’s if they didn’t kill him outright. His one advantage was that he had much more of a head start then last time. The howl was a long ways behind and he hadn't left an obvious trail once he had entered the creek.

He leapt onto a fallen log and then paused to listen again. There were faint sounds, but they were quite a way off. He looked down the valley, weighing his options. It would be easier to take the clear deer trail but that would leave a hard scent line to follow. There was much rougher country to the south. It would slow him down, but it would also be much harder for a larger animal to come after him. The risk would be if Lorena headed him off again. He didn’t think she could in a vehicle like she had last time. The road he had seen on the map that led to a camping ground was in the opposite direction.

He jumped down and headed for the rough tangle of undergrowth on the lower side. Hollows, thorns and roots made the way painfully slow going. Twice he heard the baying of a hound and the howl of a wolf. When he tried to go faster, he stepped on a bramble branch hidden in a thicket, the thorn pricking his paw pad. He had to stop and carefully back out of it.

He picked his way through until he passed a puddle of foul-smelling stagnant water. He paused at it thoughtfully. Coat hot and damp, his natural scent would be strong. He heaved out a sigh and stepped into the puddle, rolling as best he could without soaking the bandana still wrapped about his neck. He stood, shook and kept going, sneezing ever now and again from the smell. Gross, but necessary.

Every now and again there was the baying of a hound or howl from the pack but to Tobi’s excitement, they seemed to be coming from far behind. If they had his trail, they were struggling to stick to it. He didn’t stop though. He continued leap and climb, doing his best never to touch soft ground. His muscles were screaming with fatigue and his throat was dry from panting.

Whenever he passed a pool, he would pause only to snatch a few mouthfuls of water before he went on, the sun sinking lower all the time. As he had suspected, there were no booby traps in this part of the forest. It was to close to civilisation where a hiking human may stumble upon it. He was getting farther from pack land and closer to freedom.

As the sun stole down, the thick forest was plunged into darkness. Tobi gave up trying to hide his trail. It was too difficult in the dark. He forgo stealth for speed, galloping where he could down gullies and along fern covered ridges. Sometimes he found a deer trail, other times he had to force his way through chest high heather and bracken.

His blood pumped hot and his tongue lulled as he pushed himself to go faster. Faster. He could still hear the howls on the wind. They sounded deranged, excited and angry. He was pulling away from them and they weren’t able to catch up fast enough.

And yet, just once when Tobi paused on one ridge, sides heaving, he had looked back down the way he had come and seen something dark shift in the gloom. He couldn’t say if it was a wolf and the air carried nothing to him but as he watched, the shape seemed to slip between the trees on the far end of the valley. He didn’t wait to see if it was just his own mind playing tricks on him.

In spite of the red dots of fatigue that danced in his vision, the shaking in his legs and aching in his paws, Tobi kept on going, trotting on and on. Every step took him further from the territory, further from Holly. He did feel guilty, but she had made it clear that she wouldn't or couldn't come with him. The night sounds got louder as the forest floor got darker. He crossed and zigzagged every stream he found to disperse his scent. He would need to stop soon.

Though it was hard to tell, he would guess that he had been moving at nothing slower than a trot for nearly eleven hours. Still, he didn't feel safe. It seemed impossible that anyone could have followed him and yet every time he stopped; he was sure that someone else was in the space behind him. The shadows moved in all directions, encouraged by the night wind and fuelled to be larger by Tobi's exhausted mind.

Finally, he sniffed up an old badger den. It was old, abandoned and small but it would do. He was too weak to continue tonight. He dragged himself into the den. He did little more than fall onto his side, flanks heaving. His eyelids dropped down on their own accord. As Tobi drifted into a deep sleep he could have sworn somewhere in the distance, a howl sought him out.

\--

His dreams were strange and restless. He felt himself sinking, paws scrabbling as the earth melted away on either side to swallow him down. He could see himself, his coat ghostly white against the gloom of the earth tunnels and stars. As massive creature filled his world, blue eyes like polish lapis invaded his thoughts.

"Do you think you've escaped?" the voice asked, deep and resonating.

"Yeah, I think so," Tobi thought back snidely.

"It's only distance Tobi. We'll be seeing you soon..."

Tobi woke with a sharp jerk.

He was painfully stiff and sore, not to mention hungry. He lay for several long minutes, just trying to breathe comfortably. The dream swam about like fish in a fast stream. He felt on edge but the more he thought on the dream, the less he could remember. He wiggled out of his makeshift den. The sun was peeking through the trees. It was early and it was quiet. He risked shifting back into human form to retrieve his phone and turn it on to check his co-ordinates.

He had come a long way. A new heading in mind, he turned the phone off, rewrapped the bandana, shifted and started off. With any luck, he could reach the next town before the pack caught up.

\--

END

\--


	8. Free as the Wind

\--

Chapter Eight

Free as the Wind

\--

The sun was well up by the time Tobi reached the next town. Rocking on his sore paws, he wondered if it was worth the risk going into the town to try and flag down a bus. Shifting came at a rather unusual cost. They couldn’t shift with heavy, bulky or loose clothing. A pair of skin-tight shorts were the only thing covering his human body. Sure, he could say he was robbed but it would still be a rather uncomfortable conversation.

His stomach rumbled with hunger. He was also pretty thirsty. He hadn’t had anything proper to drink since those few painful gulps of water on the run the night before. There was a motel not too far from the edge of the forest. To his great relief, there was a vending machine against the main building. Traffic seemed pretty quiet. He watched intently for about ten minutes.

When he was sure there was no one around, Tobi shifted back into his human form and pulled some notes from his wallet. He rushed over to the vending machine and peered inside. He stuffed the notes in and hit the buttons. Once the machine had distributed his precious cargo, he bundled it all up and sprinted back towards the trees.

Geez, he must have looked absolutely ridiculous.

Three bags of chips, a bottle of water and an iced coffee weren’t much of a proper breakfast, but he was relatively used to it and it was certainly better than nothing. He ate as he walked, stretching his bruised and aching muscles. He had done well to get this far but he wouldn’t be able to stay here. The pack was probably already sending wolves out to any nearby settlements.

He was about to turn his back on the place when a child’s laugh made him look up. A family of four; mother, father and two young girls were climbing into a car. The youngest child was giggling, and her mother was picking her up to fit her into her children’s car seat. Tobi watched them from a long moment. He wandered what it must be like, to have a family that loved each other, to be loved. He turned his heart cold to the idea. Thinking like that wasn’t going to help him now. Tobi found a trail and headed on his way.

He was right not to stay.

He never saw the silver car pull into the parking lot outside the motel nor the two wolves that got out. As they headed into the town to question the people that lived there, Tobi got further and further away.

\--

Tobi sat at the bus stop, watching people pass on their commute to work. It had been almost a full week since he had left the pack lands. He still couldn't quite believe he had gotten away. His subconscious didn't seem to believe it either because every night marked another kaleidoscope of confusing dreams. He would wake before dawn in a sweat, limbs tingling. It always took him a few minutes to understand where he was and chase away the unreasoning feeling that something enormous was about to crash down on him.

It had not been a very comfortable week.

Tobi had been looking over his shoulder every step of the way. Every look he got, be it friendly or derisive had set him on edge. It seemed mad that the pack would have followed him so far from the pack territory, but that paranoia prevented him from staying anywhere for long. He was tired, hungry, and jumped at every small noise.

He had no real plan of where he was going either. He couldn’t just keep wandering aimlessly though or he could end up blundering into the territory of a new group of shifters and start the whole mess over again. Thinking of Holly caused a deep ache in his chest. He had been traveling for so long that he had thought he was used to it.

That had been before he had found his childhood friend again. The sight of a friendly face had been like a balm to him. Wolves weren’t engineered to spend their lives in isolation, and he had now chosen to do so twice. It left him feeling brittle.

His distrust of public places and the people who occupied them meant that he was now spending a lot of time in wolf form inside the forests and woods. This meant he was at least not burning through the little cash he had on accommodation, but the forest had its own host of problems. It was difficult to hunt in the dense ferns and tall trees. He’d been able to catch a few stouts and a couple of distracted rabbits but mostly he wasn’t getting enough to fill his belly every day. He needed to stop somewhere for a while and get his strength back.

For one thing he wanted a damn shower. Tobi stood up and stretched. He needed a place to wash, charge his now dead phone and eat a proper meal. He had been lucky enough to find a few backyards with a low fence and clothes on the line. The sweatpants and tee-shirt didn’t fit great, but they were a lot better than walking around in skin-tight shorts.

He was just about to head for what he thought was a motel when a man with straw coloured hair and broad shoulders stepped out from a side street to his right. Tobi froze, his instincts telling him that this man was a wolf. He sniffed, the hair on his arms rising. He was sure that this wolf wasn’t from Anton and Lorena’s pack.

It happened to fast. Tobi smelt the wolf, the wolf came onto the main footpath and saw him. They both stared for a moment. Then the man hitched a smile onto his face.

“Well good morning. Out alone?” About as smooth as a fucking chainsaw. Tobi’s lip curled.

“It was and none of your business,” he growled. He made to go around the man and was entirely surprised when the asshole stepped back in front of him again.

“Hey, easy there. I meant no harm. This is no man’s land at any rate. Some of my pack and I are just passing through,” the blonde purred. The skin along Tobi spine tingled in revulsion.

“If you’re by yourself then we could escort you?” he added hopefully, his eyes traveling up and down Tobi’s body. Tobi glared, feeling his canines lengthen inside his mouth.

“If I’m alone then it would be for a reason. I’m not interested,” he snapped. The man took a step closer.

“It’s not safe to be without a pack. Why don’t you come with me, meet my mate? She’ll love you.”

This smarmy bastard thought Tobi was free game. He waited for the punch of alpha's aura, but it didn’t come. The man was posturing, waiting for Tobi to react as only a submissive would. Tobi could smell the wolf’s musk like the odour leaking from a to full bin in a summer kitchen. It was not pleasant, and it wasn’t the overwhelming presence of a dominating alpha. Or at least, it wasn’t the one his senses were expecting.

The man's grin faded a little, his expectation that Tobi would show him his throat faltering. Tobi decided to make those vanish completely. He stepped up to the man and swung, using his smaller size to fir himself under the taller man’s frame. His knuckles connected with the man’s jaw, snapping his head back and sending him stumbling backwards.

“That’s my answer you dense fuckwit,” Tobi growled. He heard a gasp and looked up. A stunned middle-aged woman, her hands on a stroller had stopped dead on the other side of the road. Her mouth was hanging open. Seeing as Tobi was thin, small and delicate looking and the other man looked as though he could have played football, she didn’t seem to know what to think.

“He asked me out and wasn’t taking no as an answer,” Tobi said flatly as the man gave a loud groan of pain. The woman’s face contorted with fury.

“Oh sweetheart, why don’t you walk with me for a bit?” she said, her eyes narrowing on the blond-haired man. Tobi nodded and came over to join her, trying to look as small and innocent as he could.

“Thank you, I appreciate that,” he said. The man seemed to have finally pulled himself together. He rounded but paused at the sight of the human woman. Apparently, he wasn’t quite that stupid because after a few seconds of teeth grinding, he stormed away. Sometimes Tobi loved the double standard of human society. He knew things would have been taken very differently if it had been the blonde’s female mate trying to block him from leaving. He probably would have punched her too. He doubted this lady would have been quite as loving toward him then.

“What is wrong with people these days?” the woman muttered, chivvying Tobi along with a motherly sweep of her arm. The toddler in her stroller gave a soft gurgle. The woman’s name turned out to be Janise and he got the impression that Janise did not live a particularly exciting life. She seemed thrilled to have been a part of some scuffle and bragged about how jealous and excited her yoga girlfriends were going to be when she told them.

Tobi nodded, listening as she told him all about her next-door neighbour’s problems with the council and how the man across the road was trying to build a swimming pool without a permit. It was all very mundane, and Tobi oddly enjoyed it. He tried to imagine talking about begonias and pool permits to his own father and the sheer ridiculousness of the thought made him snort with laughter.

“I know! That was my reaction. Anyway, I said to her, Marge, you just need to bite the bullet and tell him.” On and on she talked as they strolled down the street together. The smell of hot food made Tobi’s belly rumble with hunger. She paused mid-sentence to stare down. Tobi’s cheek went pink.

“I urgh, forgot to have breakfast this morning,” he said. Janise sighed.

“Young people today, always rushing about. There’s a great little deli over here, this way.” Tobi allowed himself to be pulled along to a busy looking shop. The smells coming from inside were making him drool. Without being told, he lined up. People shot Janise annoyed looks as she wedged in her stroller, still talking at the top of her lungs. Tobi just smiled.

Lunch was delicious. Tobi struggled not to go so far as to spend an extra lengthy time licking the remnants from his fingers. Belly bulging and feeling satisfied for the first time in days, Tobi sagged in his plastic seat.

“I needed that,” he sighed happily. Janise snorted.

“It looked that way. You eat like my nephew Johnathan.” Then her smile widened.

“I’m glad you stood up to that man. Hopefully, he doesn’t bother you again,” she added primly. Tobi good mood wavered. Yes. That.

Unfortunately, he very much doubted that the blonde alpha would give up. If nothing else, he would want to teach Tobi a lesson for hitting him. Tobi certainly wouldn’t be able to stay here tonight. For a split second he actually considered asking Janise if she had a place for him to stay but that would be both bloody weird and inappropriate.

From what Janise had been babbling she had a lovely husband who was also very clingy. And by clingy Tobi had a feeling she meant possessive. Grown men generally didn’t like coming home to find strange twenty somethings getting cosy with their wife.

No. Tobi was going to have to shift and carry on following the ancient forest. Now that he was well fed and watered, the idea didn’t bother him so much, but the sight of a new wolf was troubling.

“Thank you for lunch Janise and keeping me company. I’ve had a great morning,” he said politely. She waved him off with an obnoxiously loud laugh.

“Not at all! With Rachel sick, I needed someone to walk with!” She stood up. With a slight pang of regret they said their goodbyes. It was a miracle that the little boy in the stroller was still asleep but then again, he was probably quite used to his mother’s booming voice. Tobi sighed and stretched. He needed to get the heck out of dodge. Just as that thought crossed his mind, he made eye contact with two men across the road. Two big, angry looking men. Tobi sighed. Guess blonde really didn’t apricate being punched.

He quickly turned and headed towards the small collection of shops. Hopefully, he could lose tweedle-dee and tweedle-dumb in the crowd. He was just about to head into the grocery store when a woman touched his arm. For one wild moment, he thought it was Janise.

"Excuse me?" Tobi turned around at the sound of a hesitant voice. The scent on the air told him it was a human. The speaker was a nervous looking young woman.

"Can I help you? he asked carefully. Probably in her twenties, short and freckly, she looked a little rattled as she held of a mobile phone with a shaking hand.

"I was told to give this to you. Your name is Tobi, isn't it?" He wanted to just say no, walk away. But something in the pale face of the wide-eyed woman made him reach out to take the phone. He stared down at it, throat dry. There was a live call waiting. He looked up to ask her who gave her the phone, but the woman was already hurrying away, arms crossed over her chest and head down. His own hand shaking now, he brought the receiver to his ear.

“Hello?”

“Tobi, it’s wonderful to hear from you.” The sound of Anton’s deep voice dropped Tobi’s jaw. It sent a shiver across the back of his skull and down his spine.

“How did you find me?” he hissed.

“With some difficulty, I must admit. You got so much further than we expected. I have never been more thrilled to invite a new wolf into out pack.” Tobi laughed but the sound came out harsh and painful to the ear.

“Yeah, well, you may have some competition on that,” Tobi breathed.

“Oh? Moved on already? Tobi, I’m hurt,”

“Like fuck you are,” Tobi replied, gripping the phone hard.

“We are coming to collect you Tobi and you’re going to sit and wait for us.” Tobi’s heart was thumping hard in his chest. Sweat collected on his palms as his eyes darted from left to right around the street.

“And why the hell would I do that?” he hissed. The sound of Anton’s laughter was like warm molasses. Tobi sagged against the cool brickwork of a post office, his legs shaking.

“Because Holly’s old pack have made an application for her to return to them.” Tobi’s blood ran cold.

“You would never give her up,” Tobi croaked.

“I know she helped you Tobi. Lorena is not very happy with her. She didn’t leave her old pack with their blessing. By the old law, she is theirs.”

“You don’t give a fuck about the old laws,” Tobi snarled.

“There’s a lovely little public garden two blocks away. Go there now Tobi and stay there until we come and get you. I know you want what’s best for Holly but if you don’t come home then we may have to consider the alpha’s proposal. She needs to be punished for sending you away.”

“She didn’t send me away. She wasn’t even there on the day I left!” Tobi’s voice was rising in pitch and volume. People were giving him odd looks as they went by. He didn’t care. His girlfriend could be dumping him, he could be losing his house for all they fucking knew.

“Tobi,” Anton purred.

“We both know you didn’t get out of your room yourself that first night.”

“Yes, I did,” Tobi snapped stubbornly. Anton chuckled, sending prickles right down Tobi’s arms.

“The public garden Tobi.”

“I’m being followed, I might not be able to get there,” he croaked.

“You’re smart and creative. You’ll find away.” The line went dead, and Tobi was left staring down at the blank screen. Throat dry, he pocketed the phone. He sniffed weakly, catching the scent of his pursuers. Tobi took several deep steadying breathes and did what he did well.

He ran.

At first, he heard nothing behind, his sudden take off taking them by surprise. It wasn’t long before he caught the sound of heavy footfalls behind. They were not exactly stealthy. Twice he heard a yelp from people who were shunted sideways. Tobi was fast but their longer legs allowed them not to fall to far behind.

Adrenaline pumped through his veins as he vaulted over a stack of produce boxes being unloaded from a van. He turned sharply into an alley, vaulted the fence at the end and hit the ground hard on the other side. His ill-fitting shoes slithered slightly on landing on the concrete from the drain runoff. Tobi pushed off again, ignoring the stunned grocery works out the back for a cigarette break.

“Hey, kid!” one of the workers shouted.

“Holy shit!” Another man yelped as tweedle-dee and tweedle-dumb crashed down on the other side of the fence. Tobi reached the end of the side street, only just managing to stop himself racing out in front of a car. The driver leaned on the horn, shouting something in Spanish as Tobi darted around the back of the car and across the street. He strained to make out the various road signs until he saw one advertising the gardens.

He had to lose the two wolves following him. An idea came to mind as he raced passed a small group of shocked school students. There was a bank and another line of shops, He skidded to a halt and scooped a rock from the side of the path. Without waiting, he pelted it as hard as he could at the shop window next to the bank.

The rock hit its mark, shattering the window and spraying the footpath with teardrops of glass. The street erupted into chaos. People shrieked and the security guard outside the bank whirled around.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing!?” the guard shouted. He was looking furiously around. He saw Tobi but then he caught sight of the two enormous charging men. Panicking, the man withdrew a taser from his belt.

“Both of you, stop right there!” the guard bellowed. The wolves hesitated but didn’t stop. Neither did Tobi. Breathing hard, he slipped between the gorping crowd and dashed off down another side street. He could hear shouting and cursing from behind. He darted from one street to another, zig zagging backwards and forwards as he got closer to the park. The park entrance was surrounded by the perfume of roses. He slipped passed the gates, the strong smell making his eyes water. He stood on one of the lush lawns, breathing a hard, a stitch in his side.

Brightly colours flowers took up every inch of the garden beds. There was a group of women doing yoga on one of the other lawns and an elderly couple taking up one of the benches. He stood there, trying to catch his breath, a great stitch in his side. Everything was so sweetly calm it set Tobi’s nerves on edge. The smell of the flora was so strong, and his heartbeat was so loud in his ears that he didn’t notice the figure behind him until a set of large hands came down to squeeze his shoulders. Tobi froze, eyes wide.

“Hello Tobi.”

\--

END

\--


End file.
